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Rev.  J.  J.  Phelan,  Ph.D. 


MOTION  PICTURES 

AS 

A  PHASE 

OF 

COMMERCIALIZED 
AMUSEMENT 

IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO 


By  Rev.  J.  J.  Phelan,  M.  A.,  Ph.  D. 

Author  of  "Studies  in  Commercialized  Amusements 
in  Toledo,  O."— "Science  and  Immortality"— "The  Ideal 
Church"— "The  Gospel  of  Social  Reconstruction". 
"Pool,  Billiards  and  Bowling"— "The  Saloon." 


Social  Survey  Series  HI.  August    1919 
Price  Two  DolWs. 


Printed  by  Little  Book  Press, 

231  No.  Erie  St.. 

Toledo,  Ohio. 


•       * 


•>        • 


Copyright  1919 

John  J.  Phelan 

Toledo,  0. 


•  ••  •     •••••• 

•  ••*/••    • 
«  •    •  •/  •  • 


.  •••         •   • 


**  •    •  • 


••  •  •-•  •.:•  •  •  ::    :  •  • 


TO  MY  WIFE 


"Suffer  the  Litte  Ones  to  come  unto  Me,  and 
forbid  them  not,  *  *  *"  "Take  heed  that  ye 
Despise   Not  one    of    these    little  ones." — Jesus. 

"I  am  one  of  those  who  believe  that  the  real 
will  never  find  an  irremovable  basis  till  it  rests  on 
the   ideal." — James   Russell   Lowell. 

"When  the  fight  begins  within  himself  a  man's 
worth  something.  God  stoops  o'er  his  head,  Satan 
looks  up  between  his  feet — both  tug  *  *  *  the 
soul   awakens   and  grows." — Browning. 


Table  of  Contents 


Foreword    8-  9 

Introduction 10-13 


SECTION  ONE. 

Physical  Features. 

1.  Number  of  Picture  Houses 15-19 

2.  Site   and   Location 19-20 

(a)  Proximity  to  Dance  Halls 20 

(b)  Proximity  to  Rooming  Houses 20-21 

(c)  Proximity  to   Saloons 21-22 

5.  Ownership  of  Business 22 

4.     Seats  and  Seating  Capacity 23 

5-     Sanitary   Conditions    23-24 

6.  Fire  Conditions   25-27 

7.  The  "Movies"  as  an  Industry 27-29 

(1)  Approximate  Value  Buildings  and 

Sites    29 

(2)  Approximate    Rental    Fee    of    Buildings  29 

(3)  Approximate    Cost   of   Equipment 30-34 

(a)  Machines    30 

(b)  Curtains    30 

(c)  Reels  of  Tickets 30-31 

(d)  Film   Service    31 

(e)  Cost  of  Orchestra  and  Music...  32 

(f)  Number     and     Salaries     of     Em- 

ployees      32-33 

(g)  Cost   of  Advertising 33-34 

8.  Approximate  Cost  of   Lighting,  Heating, 

Taxes     34-36 

(1)  Lighting     34-35 

(2)  Heating    35 

(3)  Taxes     35-36 

9.     Attendance    36-41 

(1)  Proportion  of  Adults  and  Children....  36-38 


(2)  Admission  Fees    39-40 

(3)  The  "Typical  Show" 40 

10.    A.  Approximate  Investment 41-42 

B.  Approximate   Operating   Expenses 41 

C.  Approximate  Revenue   42 

Questions,  Methods  and   Investigations 43-45 


SECTION  TWO. 

MENTAL  EFFECTS  AND  EDUCATIONAL 
SIGNIFICANCE. 

A.  Public  School   Surveys 49-56 

(1)  Toledo  School  Survey 49-51 

(2)  Providence   School   Survey 51-52 

(3)  Cleveland  School  Survey 53 

(4-5)  Portland,  Ore.,  School  Survey 53-55 

(6)  San  Francisco  School  Survey 55-56 

(7)  Recreation — An  Aid  to  Citizenship 56-63 

B.  Censorship    

(1)  The  Ohio  Board  of  Censors 64-66 

(2)  The  National  Board  of  Reviews 67-71 

(3)  Local  Censorship    - 71-73 

(4)  Educational    Films    73-1C0 

Questions,  Methods  and  Investigations 101-103 


SECTION  THREE. 

THE  MORAL  AND  SOCIAL  EFFECTS  OF  THE 

MOVIES. 

1.  The  Advantages  of  the  Movies 107-111 

2.  The  Disadvantages  of  the  Movies 111-113 

3.  Local   Observations    113-117 

4.  Complexity  of  the  Problem 117-120 

5.  A  Proposed  Solution 120-122 

6.  What  They  Did  in  Portland,  Ore..    . , 122-138 

7.  A   Question  in   Ethics 138-139 

8.  Caricaturing  of   Ministry 139-142 

9.  Literature  on  Value  of  Supervised  Play 142-144 

Questions,  Methods  and  Investigations 146-148 


SECTION  FOUR. 

NON-COMMERCIALIZED   AMUSEMENTS   AND   COM- 
MUNITY WORK  AMONG  THE  YOUNG- 

1.  The  Art  Museum  of  Toledo 151-156 

2.  The  Catholic  Community  House 156-160 

3.  Story  Hours  at  Toledo  Libraries 160-166 

4.  Program  for  Boys  at  Y.  M.  C.  A 166-169 

5.  The  Boy  Scout   Movement 169-171 

6.  Daily  Vacation  Bible   Schools 175-177 

7-  Toledo's  Parks  and  Playgrounds 179-195 

S.  North  End  Settlement  and  Y.  W.  C.  A 196-202 

Workers   and   Fighters 205-208 

Questions   and  Exercises  for  Advanced   Social 
Students    209-211 


9 


SECTION  FIVE. 

APPENDICES. 

Exhibit  I.—  \    Selected   Biography 216-219 

Exhibit  II.— Censorship  of  Pictures  in  Ohio 220-225 

Exhibit  III.— Article  by  Chairman   Williams    226-231 

Exhibit  IV. — List  of  Incorporated  Companies 231-233 

Exhibit  V. — Proposed    Federal   Commission 234-235 

Exhibit  VI. — Owners,  Managers,  Employees,  Etc.. 236-237 

Exhibit  VII.— A   Questionaire  for  Schools 238-240 

Exhibit  VIII— Inoperative    Laws— Why?     241-243 

Exhibit  IX.— The  Local  Option  Movement 244-250 

Exhibit  X.— Ordinance    Defining   "Misdemeanors"..        250 

Exhibit  XL— Schedule   for   Survey 251-252 

Exhibit  XII.— Questionnaire  on  Play  and    Recrea- 
tion     253-256 

Exhibia  XIII.— Motion  Pictures  in  East  Toledo.  .  .257-250 

Exhibit  XIV.— Movies  for  Social  Workers 259-264 

Exhibit  XV.— Testimony  of  Juvenile  Court 265-263 

Exhibit  XVI.— United   Artists'   Corporation 2S2-287 

Exhibit  XVII. — Questionnaire  on  Juvenile 

Standards    288-290 

Exhibit  XVIIL— Social   Hygiene   Legislation 291-292 


FOREWORD. 

The  writer  is  not  opposed  to  Motion  Pictures 
as  a  form  of  amusement.  Pictures  are  possessed  of 
infinite  social  and  economic  power  and  are  capable 
of  unlimited  moral  and  educational  worth.  Hun- 
dreds of  thousands  each  day  secure  their  chief  im- 
pressions of  life,  ethics,  religion  and  morality  thru 
the  "movies." 

Whether  these  impressions  are  beneficial — it 
is  the  special  privilege  of  the  mature  and  discrim- 
inating to  judge.  We  surely  cherish  no  desire  to 
create  standards  of  amusement  for  those  best  able 
to  judge  for  themselves. 

There  is  a  large  class,  however,  who  do  not 
exercise  this  nicely  "discriminating"  preference. 
In  the  cases  when  they  would — they  are  handi- 
capped by  what  is  offered  them.  Statistics  reveal 
that  there  are  many  who  feed  their  nature  upon 
the  abnormal,  distorted,  suggestive  and  far  too 
often,  vicious  things  of  life. 

Students  of  social  science  are  in  quite  general 
agreement  as  to  the  necessity  of  community  control 
of  public  commercialized  amusements.  It  lias  been 
deemed  necessary  to  place  the  motion  picture  in- 
dustry under  limited  control  in  several  States,  and 
there  is  considerable  agitation  as  to  the  necessity 
of  a  Federal  Board  of  Censors  for  a  more  complete 
National  control. 

The  social  mind  also  is  beginning  to  take  no- 
tice of  the  great  number  of  Juvenile  Court  cases: 
the    newspaper    reports    concerning    police    arrests. 


and  the  testimony  of  educators  who  deal  with  the 
young — as  regards  the  increase  of  Juvenile  delin- 
quency. A  prolific  cause  is  the  excessive  and  non- 
discriminating patronage  of  picture  houses. 

It  is  poor  policy,  both  moral  and  economic,  for 
a  community  to  allow  its  children  to  be  filled  with 
suggestions  of  filth  and  evil  and  then  pay  for  it. 
Parents  particularly  must  know  that  to  tolerate  or 
allow  agencies  to  emphasize  the  dramatic  value  of 
the  passions  is  a  serious  proposition.  The  "stress 
and  strain"  period  of  the  adolescent  child  is  most 
acute.  Are  we  making  the  transition  constructive 
or  destructive? 

The  bed-room  and  lingerie  style  of  drama  are 
not  constructive.  Moving  pictures  with  plots  and 
themes  fit  only  for  a  clinic  cannot  be  tolerated  in 
a  democracy  where  children  have  a  chance  for 
growth  and  nurture.  Our  courts  are  practically 
crowded  with  a  host  of  prematurely  old — yet  young 
persons  in  years.  The  placing  of  premiums  on  do- 
mestic infelicity  denouments  do  not  minimize  the 
number  of  divorce  cases,  nor  keep  down  the  ex- 
pense of  operating  police  courts,  infirmaries,  hos- 
pitals  and  sanitariums. 

We  may  excuse  our  responsibility  toward  the 
weaker  members  of  society  by  graciously  placing 
them  in  corrective  and  charitable  institutions  after 
they  have  "gone  wrong,"  and  cease  all  further  care 
and  thought  of  them,  or,  we  may  attempt  by  com- 
munity measures  and  the  exercise  of  a  Christian- 
social  consciousness  to  check  this  increase  of 
juvenile  and  adult  delinquency  at  its  source. 


INTRODUCTION. 


PURPOSE. 

This  treatise  is  not  intended  to  be 

"  a  sentimental  defense  nor  a  vitriolic 

of  the  Study  .  .      ,  r     .        n. 

J  attack  upon  the  Motion  Picture  in- 
dustry of  Toledo.  The  primary  purpose  is  to 
gather  all  available  social  data  and  allow  the  reader 
to  make  his  own  interpretation.  Like  many  other 
persons,  we  have  little  sympathy  with  the  criticism 
of  the  average  "paid"  reformer,  the  insipid  vapor- 
ings  of  obsessed  enthusiasts,  or,  the  subtle  machina- 
tions of  professional  politicians.  Social  problems 
demand  the  same  careful  treatment  which  the  sur- 
geon must  give  his  patient — a  treatment  marked  by 
accuracy,  calmness,  dispassionateness  and  scientific 
technique. 

m  To    those    therefore,   who   desire 

The  Necessity 

r  .        mere    homily,    discourse    or    sensa- 

of  Community  .  ,.,-,, 

„  tional    statements,   this    study   will 

Survey 

not  function.     We  hold   it  to  be  a 

self-evident  truth,  that  in  the  work  of  Community 

Service   and   creation   of   democratic   social    ideals, 

there    is    one    indispensable    requisite    which    must 

precede  all   altruistic   work:     We  must   know  the 


Community  in  which  we  live.  Knowledge  of  social 
conditions  in  the  average  community  is  generally 
derived  from  three  sources :  the  newspaper  reporter 
in  his  "write-up"  of  news  items;  the  information 
imparted  by  charitable  and  religious  organizations 
in  their  periodic  and  spasmodic  appeal  for  "funds," 
and  the  community  study  or  social  survey  based  on 
personal  investigation  and  proper  classification  of 
data.  The  latter  method  is  the  only  reliable  one  by 
which  we  can  ascertain  the  educational  significance 
of  those  social  factors  and  forces  which  make  or 
mar  our  fellow-citizens.  Therefore,  as  in  the  previ- 
ous studies  of  Commercialized  Amusements  in  To- 
ledo, a  social  survey  is  deemed  necessary. 

It  is  willingly  conceded  that  a  few  individuals 
may  have  a  good  general  knowledge  of  their  com- 
munity, but  to  no  person  or  group  is  it  given  to 
know  the  specific  facts  relating  to  his  community 
without  intensive  work  and  the  possession  of  "first- 
hand" knowledge.  The  purpose  of  this  survey, 
therefore,  is  four-fold  :  To  ascertain  reliable  sources 
for  dependable  data;  to  secure  the  data;  to  present 
the  data  to  the  public  in  some  standardized  form; 
to  suggest  reasonable  methods  for  possible  com- 
munity action. 


METHODS 

A  schedule  of  the  proposed  survey 
Schedule  of  wag  first  prepared  (see  Exhibit  XI). 
Questions  This  wag  uged  in  coliecting  and  class- 
ifying the  data  collected.    The  names  and  addresses 


of  all  the  picture  houses  at  present,  or  recently  in 
the  business  was  secured  from  the  City  Department 
of  Building  Inspection.  A  personal  visit  was  then 
made  to  each  house.  This  covered  a  period  of 
nearly  two  years  (1918-19).  In  this  way,  data  was 
collected,  filed  or  revised  from  time  to  time  as  the 
information  warranted.  The  number  of  houses  ac- 
tively operating,  as  also  the  number  which  have 
suspended  business,  either  temporarily  or  perman- 
ently,  was   ascertained. 


rry,     itj?     .     „         There    is    another    method    which 
ttt  offers  itself  as  a  possible  alternative 

and  with  far  less  expenditure  of  time, 
namely,  the  securing  of  sensational  data  from  lurid 
picture  posters  which  can  be  seen  outside  of  the 
average  picture  show  house ;  the  reading  of  pessi- 
mistic literature  exclusively,  which  decry  most  bit- 
terly the  "crime  of  the  movies,"  and  the  listening 
to  extreme*  and  irresponsible  criticism  which  is 
resorted  to  in  many  cases,  as  an  artifice  to  stir  only 
the  emotions.  Such  "camouflage"  methods,  how- 
ever, can  produce  only  the  most  superficial  results. 
We  determined,  therefore,  to  enter  the  study  with 
an  open  and  unprejudiced  mind.  Accordingly,  the 
data  was  collected  from  the  following  sources : 


.  Personal  visitation  of  the  fifty-eight 
Sources  of 

~  places  of  business. 

Data  r 

Access    to    State    and    Government 

records. 

Interviews  with  City  officials. 

Access  to  local  newspaper  files. 

Interviews  with  Motion  Picture  authorities. 

Access  to  Lucas  County  tax  records. 

Interviews  with  educational  leaders. 

Interviews  with  Juvenile  Court  officials. 

Interviews  with  moral  and  religious  forces  of 
the  City. 

Access  to  City  and  telephone  directories. 

Access  to  current  and  standard  literature  on 
the  subject. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  15 


Phy si  cal    Features 


I.    THE  NUMBER  OF  MOTION  PICTURE 
HOUSES  IN  TOLEDO 


In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  popu- 

Relative  ,  ,  ,    ,,.  . 

lation   has    increased   thirty   per   cent, 

Uniformity  ,     .         .  .    - 

or  more,  during-  the  past   five  years, 

the  number  of  picture  houses  is  marked  by  a  rela- 
tive uniformity.  The  greater  number,  66,  was  in 
the  year  1914.  The  number  decreased  to  60  houses 
in  1915;  in  1916  the  number  was  50.  In  1917  there 
were  48  theatres  and  motion  picture  houses  actively 
operating  in  the  City.  At  the  close  of  1918,  and  the 
beginning  of  1919,  there  are  581  places  inspected  by 
the  City  Department  of  Public  Buildings,  which  are 
equipped  for  possible  exhibition  of  motion  pictures. 
Of  this  number,  however,  only  422  are  active  oper- 
ating houses;  ten  houses  have  recently  suspended 
business  ;  while  six  others,  although  equipped,  are 
used  primarily  for  other  amusement  purposes.  On 
June  1,  1919,  there  were  49  theatre  and  motion  pic- 
ture houses  licensed  by  the  City  and  Federal  Gov- 
ernments. 


16      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Three  others  are  planned  for  a  near  future  and 

are  as  follows : 

TOLEDO  TO  GET  A  COSTLY 

NEW  PICTURE  HOUSE. 


Pantheon     Theatre     Company     Incorporates     and 
Takes  Over  Kaiserhof  Cafe. 


HAS  ONE  HUNDRED  THOUSAND  DOLLARS 

CAPITAL. 


New  Theatre  to  Be  One  of  the  Finest  in  Country; 

Will  Seat  1,200. 


Incorporation  of  the  Pantheon  Theater  Co. 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000  assures  Toledo  the 
erection  of  one  of  the  finest  motion  picture  houses 
in  the  country. 

The  new  company  has  taken  over  the  property 
formerly  occupied  by  the  Kaiserhof  cafe. 

The  exterior  of  the  building  will  be  glazed 
terra  cotta. 

A  large  foyer,  which  will  accommodate  more 
than  300,  will  be  utilized  as  a  dance  hall  on  special 
occasions,  and  the  dances  may  be  made  a  regular 
feature  of  the  program.  Back  of  the  lobby  will  be 
a  large  reception  and  music  room,  elaborately  fur- 
nished, where  concerts  may  be  held. 

The  stage  will  be  18  feet  in  depth.  The  pro- 
scenium will  measure  30  feet  and  there  will  be  an 
elaborate  equipment  of  built-in  sets  and  scenery 
for  special  features. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  17 

Elaborate  simplicity  is  designated  as  the  key- 
note of  the  decorations  which  will  make  the  new 
house  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  this  part  of  the 
country. 

There  will  be  no  balcony,  but  the  theatre  will 
have  a  seating  capacity  of  1,200.  A  $25,000  Hope 
Jones  organ  will  be  installed. 

A  large  canopy  will  be  built  over  the  street 
and  there  will  be  a  double  ticket  window.  A  new 
lighting  system,  on  the  order  of  the  "flood  light," 
will  be  used. 

Rest  rooms,  a  private  projection  room  and 
dressing  rooms  for  the  ushers  and  performers  will 
be  located  in  the  basement.  A  play  room  for  chil- 
dren will  also  be  down  stairs. 

H.  C.  Horater,  John  Kumler  and  John  J. 
Gardiner  are  the  incorporators  of  the  new  com- 
pany. Korater,  who  is  manager,  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  Alhambra  theatre,  will  continue  as 
managing  director  of  both  companies.  Gardiner  is 
president  of  the  Alhambra  Co. 

The  Alhambra  theatre  was  built  eight  years 
ago. 

Four  years  ago  Horater  took  the  active  man- 
agement and  with  a  policy  of  showing  only  the 
best  pictures  has  made  it  one  of  the  best  known 
motion  picture  houses  in  the  country.  The  most 
promising  features  procurable  in  motion  pictures 
have  been  secured  for  exhibition  at  the  new  house 
during  the  coming  year. — The  Times.  July  3,  1919. 


18      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 
NEW  MOVIE  HOUSE. 


The  construction  of  a  $60,000  three-story  brick 
moving  picture  building  on  Lagrange  street,  near 
Central  avenue,  will  be  started  July  1,  according 
to  Walter  L.  Grudzinski,  of  the  county  clerk's 
office.— The  News-Bee,  April  2,  1919. 


SITE  LEASED  FOR  $300,000  THEATRE  HERE 


New    York    Interests   Take    Arcade    Property    for 
Motion  Picture  and  Vaudeville  Bills. 


The  Sun  &  James  Amusement  Co.,  New  York, 
has  leased  the  property  now  occupied  by  the  Ar- 
cade theatre,  St.  Clair  and  Jackson  streets,  and  will 
construct  a  $300,000  theatre  building. 

The  deal  was  closed  Monday,  through  Thomas 
Davies,   of   the   Thomas    Davies   Realty   Co.     The 

building,  it  is  expected,  will  seat  3,000.  It  probably 
will  be  used  for  both  vaudeville  and  moving  pic- 
tures. 

Ready  January  1. 

The  building  will  be  90  by  170  feet,  brick  and 
concrete. 

Work  in  tearing  down  the  old  Arcade  theatre 
building  already  has  been  commenced  and  it  is 
planned  to  have  the  new  theatre  ready  for  opening 
January  1. 

Mrs.   Nettie   Poe  Ketcham,   New  York,   owns 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  19 

the   Arcade    theatre   building   and    property.     The 
Sun  &  James  Co.  lease  is  for  99  years. 

Office  Space  Later. 

Gus  Sun  operates  a  theatre  in  Springfield,  O., 
and  W.  M.  James,  a  former  Toledo  man,  owns  the 
Broadway  theatre  in  Columbus.  Other  theatrical 
men  are  said  to  be  interested  also. 

The  new  theatre  auditorium  will  be  built  back 
from  the  street  and  it  is  planned  later  to  build  a 
large  office  building  surrounding  it  and  facing  on 
St.  Clair  and  Jackson  streets. — The  Blade,  July  14, 
1919. 

The  slight  fluctuation  in  number  is  undoubt- 
edly due  to  the  competition  of  larger  and  more 
centrally  located  houses,  especially,  as  these  are 
able  to  offer  stronger  attractions.  Again,  nearly  all 
of  the  theatres  and  amusement  places  are  offering 
pictures  in  connection  with  their  regular  "shows." 
Many  of  the  smaller  houses,  however,  have  not  dis- 
posed of  their  apparatus,  although  at  present  inac- 
tive in  the  business.  The  impression  derived  there- 
fore is  that  they  are  looking  forward  to  a  possible 
reopening  in  the  near  future  (see  Exhibit  VI  for  a 
complete  classified  list  of  picture  houses.) 

2.    SITE  AND  LOCATION 

,   .  Forty-eight,   or  82.7   per  cent   of   the 

Middle  of       .  .  i  j 

picture     houses     are     located     near     or 

within    the   Middle  of  the  block.     The 

remaining   ten,    or    17.3    per    cent,    are    located    on 

street   corners,   which   permit  of  a   fair  ventilation 


20      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

from  three  sides.  The  buildings  situated  within 
the  block,  however,  permit  of  ventilation  from  only 
two  sides — the  front  and  rear.  Twelve  of  the 
houses  have  provision  for  both  gallery  and  floor 
accommodations. 

(a)    Proximity  to  Dance  Halls 

It  is  noted  that  many  of  the  clubs, 
"Invitation"     society  and  labor  halls  are  used  for 

I  if* *^  [+  f% g 

both  public  and  private  dances,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  four  dancing  academies  of  the  city. 
Strong  inducement  is  made  to  the  public  to  patron- 
ize many  of  these  dances,  even  though  termed  "in- 
vitation" dances.  Fifty-four  rooms  used  for  danc- 
ing purposes  were  noticed  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  picture  houses — principally  in  the  downtown 
district.  From  personal  observation,  it  was  noted 
that  a  hasty  and  promiscuous  acquaintance  is  often 
made  at  the  picture  shows  which  later  develops  in 
patronage  of  these  dances. 

(b)    Proximity  to  Rooming  House 

Toledo  has  many  rooming 
The  "Rooming  houses  These  are  largely  occu- 
House'Troblem    ^    ^    unmarried    young    men 

and  women  who  work  in  the  various  local  indusr 
tries.  Many  of  these  young  people  come  from  out- 
of-town  and  are  away  from  the  restraining  and  re- 

!The  Grand  Theatre,  Swayne  Field,  the  Terminal,  the 
Coliseum,    the    Newsboys    Auditorium,    the    Palace. 

2There  are  no  theatres  outside  of  the  vaudville  and 
burlesque  house,  which  offer  legitimate  high-class  drama. 
An  attempt  is  being  made  to  bring  in  star  play  com- 
panies. At  the  time  of  publication,  the  Auditorium  play 
house   offers    drama. 


AMUSEMENT  IX  TOLEDO,  OHIO  21 

fining  influences  of  the  established  home.  The 
moral  dangers,  therefore,  are  extremely  acute,  espe- 
cially as  the  City  has  no  organized  Community 
centers,  Field  houses  or  City  recreation  centers. 
Honorable  mention  is  here  made  of  the  excellent 
work  of  the  Y.  \Y.  C.  A.  and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  in  the 
providing  of  play  facilities  and  group  gatherings  in 
their  well-equipped  plants,  but,  as  is  too  often  the 
case,  the  persons  who  ought  to  be  under  the  influ- 
ence of  these  splendid  organizations — are  "outside 
the  fold."  Consequently,  "cheap"  popular  shows — 
in  all  that  the  name  implies,  and  the  many  unsuper- 
vised and  commercialized  forms  of  amusement  are 
greatly  patronized.  It  is  estimated  that  at  least 
20,000  youno-  persons  live  in  the  300  rooming- 
houses  which  are  located  within  walking  distance 
of  the  picture  houses.  An  authority  in  the  busi- 
ness3, states  that  "the  larger  part  of  these  persons 
attend  two  or  three  times  a  week,  and  a  consider- 
able number,  nearly  every  night  in  the  week  and 
Sundays." 

(c)  Proximity  to  Saloons 

There  are  408  saloons  in  Toledo 
Like  Begets        ,      .,  00v      ~  ..... 

T  .,    „        to  (April  28).     Over  one-third  of  these 

Like  ,    .  ,       _.     , 

are    situated    in    or    near    the    Sixth 

Ward — the  downtown  section,  where  the  larger 
and  greater  patronized  shows  are  operated.  Sa- 
loons are  strategically  located  (seven  in  one  block) 
where  both  the  young  and  old  assemble.  A  previ- 
ous study  of  the  liquor  industry  (by  the  writer), 
revealed    a    large    number    of    young    persons    as 


22      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZE!] 

patrons  in  the  saloons  which  are  located  in  the 
neighborhood  of  picture  houses  and  theatres. 
Subtle  suggestions,  due  to  the  vivid  portrayal  of 
the  underworld  life,  vampire  life,  sex  problems  and 
exhibition  of  the  scantly  clad,  together  with  stir- 
ring scenes  of  "shooting"  and  "stabbing" — neces- 
sarily make  for  added  stimulation  and  resort  to  the 
"drink."  There  are  at  least  six  houses  in  the  City 
which  seemingly  make  a  specialty  of  picturing  the 
lurid  in  their  bill  posters,  in  addition  to  the  many 
suggestive  and  questionable  phases  of  life  in  the 
pictures.  Many  young  people  are  seen  to  meet,  ap- 
parently on  short  acquaintance,  and,  after  the 
evening  shows,  frequent  cabarets  to  "eat,"  "sport," 
listen  to  "jazz"  music  and  often  indulge  in  liquor. 

3.    OWNERSHIP  OF  MOTION  PICTURE 

INDUSTRY 

There    is    a    difference    between    the 
J  y  ownership  of  the  business  and  the  own- 

ership of  the  buildings.  This  distinc- 
tion makes  it  difficult  to  identify  ownership  of  the 
industry  alone.  It  is  estimated,  however,  that  not 
more  than  eight  companies  own  the  buildings  in 
which  the  pictures  are  exhibited.  Of  the  fifty-eight 
places,  38,  or  66  per  cent,  are  owned  by  individuals, 
of  which  30,  or  52  per  cent,  are  men,  and  8,  or  14 
per  cent,  are  women.  The  balance,  20,  or  34  per 
cent,  are  operated  exclusively  by  Amusement 
Companies.  Three  houses3,  the  Metro,  Empress 
and  Regent  are  operated  by  one  company. 

3al00   Picture    House    Manager. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOELDO,  OHIO  23 

4.    SEATS  AND  SEATING  CAPACITY 

The    seating   capacity   of   the    fifty- 
Number  of  ..   ,  4«7nn-7  'i 
eight  houses  is  47,997  seats — a  general 

average  of  827  seats  to  a  house.  Fif- 
teen places,  however,  or  more  than  one-fourth,  have 
a  seating  capacity  of  31,488,  or  more  than  66  per 
cent  of  the  whole  number.  The  remaining  forty- 
three  houses  have  the  balance  of  16,509  seats — an 
average  of  266  seats  each.  In  nearly  every  house 
stationary  chairs  or  seats  are  used,  and  narrow, 
uncomfortable  accommodations,  both  as  to  seats 
and  floor  spaces  is  tolerated  by  the  pleasure-seek- 
ing patron.  The  general  dangers,  due  to  close  seat- 
ing, are  as  follows : 

Promiscuous    mingling    with    undesir- 

_  ibles    (moral.) 

■Dangers 

Physical    contact    with    the    unclean 

(physical.) 

Inhaling  of  disease  germs  and  offensive  odors 
(sanitary.) 

Possibility   of   theft    and    personal   insult    (so- 
cial.) 

5.  SANITARY  CONDITIONS 

He    who    enters    the    average    picture 

_  house  in  Toledo,  is  seldom  favorablv  im- 

Dangers 

pressed     with    the     sanitary    conditions. 

The  ventilation  is  entirely  inadequate — the  air  be- 
ing   stagnant     and     contaminated     with     offensive 
odors,  particularly  after  the  second  audience  comes 
in.     This  is  largely  due  to  the  following  factors: 
The  location  of  the  playhouse  itself,  which  is 


24       MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

usually  within  the  middle  of  a  block,  thus  permit- 
ting the  ingress  of  a  comparatively  limited  amount 
of  fresh  air,  and  then  only  at  the  front  or  rear. 

Uncleanness,  due  to  lack  of  daylight — the  dark- 
ness of  the  room  making  it  impossible  to  detect 
with  the  naked  eye  the  exact  condition  of  either  the 
seats  or  floor. 

Inadequate  ventilating  system,  and,  in  rare 
cases  when  provided,  characterized  by  slovenly  in- 
attention. 

Prevalence  of  bacteria  germs  and  dry  dust- 
caused  largely  by  the  heat  of  picture  machines,  poor 
ventilation,  stamping  feet  and  expectoration  of  to- 
bacco juice. 

Odors  from  garments  and  persons  of  mixed 
patronage. 

Insufficient,  and  in  many  cases,  inefficient  jan- 
itor service. 

A  critical  analysis  of  Toledo's  playhouses, 
made  by  the  City  Division  of  Inspection,  reveals 
the  following  conditions : 

Good    25,  or  50  per  cent 

Fair    20,  or  40  per  cent 

Poor    4,  or     8  per  cent 

Contrary  to  the  usual  belief,  the  larger  houses 
have  poorer  ventilation  and  sanitation  than  the 
smaller — due  largely  to  greater  patronage  and  con- 
gestion, 


AMUSEMENT    IN    TOLEDO,    OHIO  25 

6.     FIRE  CONDITIONS 

The  protection  of  human  life  is  a  matter 
of  community  concern.     What  is  the  status 

KlSKS         .  . 

oi  tire  conditions  in  the  playhouses  of  To- 
ledo? It  is  necessary  to  consider  many  of  the  fac- 
tors which  make  for  or  against  fire  hazard.  These 
consist   of : 

Nature  and  number  of  picture  machine  booths. 

Number  of  places  wired  and  lighted  by  elec- 
tricity. 

Number  of  fire  extinguishers. 

Nature   and    number  of  heating    apparatus. 

Number  of  fire  exits. 

Q  ,  Darkness,   excessive    overcrowding  and 

p  mechanical  construction  of  buildings  and 

seats  are  matters  to  be  considered  in  fire 
risk.  Because  of  the  nature  of  the  business,  it  is 
extremely  difficult  to  check  up  these  important 
items.  Consequently,  many  of  the  factors  usually 
are  overlooked.  The  defects  also  are  quite  char- 
acteristic of  many  auditoriums  where  groups  as- 
semble, and,  as  noted  in  this  particular  form  of 
industry,  make  the  problem  all  the  more  acute. 
The  thoughtful,  therefore,  must  be  impressed  with 
the  great  privileges  accorded  purveyors  of  pub- 
lic unsupervised  amusement. 

rry,      ,,     ,  .  The    construction    of   the   picture 

The  Machine  ,    .  .     ,    .  *  .. 

_,       .  booth  is  a  most    vital    tactor,  if  not 

Booth  ,  ,  '       .  . 

the  greatest — that  concerns  fire  risk. 

The  heat  generated  by   these  machines  is   so  great 

at  times  as   to    make  it  necessary  for  the  operator 


26      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

to  take  periodic  spells  of  relief.  It  is  a  matter  of 
standing  credit  to  the  industry,  as  also  to  the  re- 
quirement of  stringent  fire  laws, — that  fires,  due  to 
negligence,  incompetence  and  faulty  mechanical 
construction  have  been  greatly  reduced.  Toledo 
has  been  singularly  fortunate  in  having  a  small 
number  of  fires  in  the  picture  houses  (possibly  six) 
in  the  last  three  years.  Of  49  booths  examined,  the 
following  conditions  are  observed : 

Construction  of  Booths 

Booths    made  entirely  of  metal 39 

Booths  metal-lined  only   3 

Booths  made  of  plaster  and  metal 4 

Booths   made  of  concrete 3 

49 

Number  of  Fire  Extinguishers 

240 

Number  Wired  by  Electricity 

(Condition) 

Good     34 

Fair 10 

Poor      5 

49 

Nature  and  Number  of  Heating  Apparatus. 

One  hundred  and  six  heating  connections  in  58 
places  of  exits. 


AMUSEMENT   IN    TOLEDO,    OHIO  27 

Heated  by  gas  stoves 53 

Heated  by  steam 18 

Heated    by  hot  water    18 

Heated  by  gas  floor  furnace    8 

Heated  by  coal    stoves    6 

Heated  by  combination  (hot  air  and  steam)...  3 

Total    106 

Number  of  Exits — 261 
General  average,  5l/2  exits  to  a  theatre. 
Specific    average — three  exits    to  a  theatre — as 

several     have     an     unusual  large  number  of   exits 

which  is  not  characteristic  of  the  rest. 

Fire  Conditions 

Good     22 

Fair     22 

Poor      5 

49 

7.   THE  "MOVIES"  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  IN 

TOLEDO 

„  -  An  attempt  was  made  to  ascertain 

Sources  of  , 

x    .  .  the  amount  of  money  represented  in 

Information         ,  .  . 

the  entire  motion  picture  business  of 

Toledo.  Information  is  not  easily  obtainable. 
However,  several  sources  purporting  to  be  authori- 
ties were  consulted : 

Film  Companies  (Four  in  Toledo-) 

Real  Estate  Agencies. 

Managers  of  Motion  Picture  Houses. 


28      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Lucas  County  Tax  Office. 
Newspaper  Files. 
Insurance  Offices. 

.  The    task   of   arriving  at  "final  and 

unalterable"  figures,  in  order  to   rep- 
resent   the    total     investment,    profits 
and  losses  of  the  picture  industry  is  no  small  task. 
Some  of  the  difficulties  are  as  follows : 

1.  The  evident  lack  of  agreement  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  business  as  a  whole — by  the 
majority  of  those  engaged. 

2.  The  extreme  cautiousness  of  those  who, 
although  qualified  to  know,  yet  withhold 
said  information. 

3.  The  variety  of  types  of  operating  houses, 
some  running  on  "part"  and  others  "full" 
time. 

4.  The  extreme  individualism  of  each  house 
nearly  every  one  being  quite  independent 
in  itself. 

5.  The  lack  of  a  clearing-house  where  such  in- 
formation is  usually  available. 

6.  The  lack  of  "stock"  and  market  quotations 
of  Toledo's  playhouses. 

7.  The  marked  fluctuation  of  the  business, 
due  to: 

(a)  Health  restrictions,  affecting  hours 
and  type  of  patronage. 

(b)  Different  schedules,  regarding  wages 
and  salaries  of  employees,  rental  of 
films  and  buildings. 


AMUSEMENT    IN    TOLEDO,    OHIO  29 

Difficulties,  however,  did  not  deter  us  from 
making  an  "approximate"  estimate — based  on  the 
best  available  information  in  the  City. 

1.     APPROXIMATE  VALUES  OF  BUILD 
INGS  AND    LAND   SITES 

__    ,  A  detailed  classification  of  the  mar- 

Market  ,  .  .  .       .     ,        r .        .   ,  . 

__  ,       .  ket    value   ot     each    or    the    nltv-eignt 

Valuation       ,     .,  ,.  .  ,  .  , 

buildings    in    which    the    pictures    are 

exhibited,  show  a  total  valuation  of  over  six  mil- 
lions ($6,200,000.00).  A  large  number,  20,  are 
located  in  the  Sixth  Ward,  where  property  and  land 
values  are  very  high.  Imposing  buildings  and  ac- 
cessible locations  characterize  many  of  these  places. 

2.     APPROXIMATE   RENTAL    FEE    OF 

BUILDINGS 

Leases  A    representative    Real    Estate    agency 

which  has  data  concerning  the  rental  fees 
of  many  of  the  large  downtown  theatres,  states  that 
"at  least  $154,000  is  paid  in  rental  fees  alone  by 
fourteen  picture  houses."  Several  of  these  rent  from 
$8,000  to  $15,000  a  year,  and  for  a  period  of  five  or 
more  years.  Owners  have  incurred  considerable 
expense  of  making  extensive  repairs  to  at  least, 
three  theatres.  This  amounts  to  $64,000,  $50,000 
and  $18,000,  or  a  total  of  $132,000.00  in  repairs 
alone.  Rental  for  the  thirty-four  remaining  places 
amounts  to  $96,000  a  year — or  a  grand  total  of 
5250,000. 


30       MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

3.     APPROXIMATE    COST   OF    EQUIPMENT 

(a)    Machines 

The  evolution    of  the  motion  picture 
Inventive      bespeaks    wonders    in    technical    skill. 

The  oldest  type  placed  on  the  market 
was  invented  by  Edison,  and  was  extremely  crude 
and  even  dangerous  to  handle.  The  film  had  a  run 
of  one  and  two  reels  and  was  reeled  from  a  burlap 
case  or  a  crackerbox.  At  present  two  motor-driven 
projectors  are  used,  and  while  one  roll  is  being 
completed,  another  is  "cut"  in.  The  machines  rep- 
resent a  total  outlay  of  at  least  $35,000.  4Many  of 
the  houses  carry  two  or  more  machines  to  meet  a 
possible  emergency.  Each  machine  costs  from 
$200  to  $2,000. 

(b)  Curtains  or  Screens 

The  New  Instead  of  the  old  cloth  sheets,  cur- 
Type  tains  are  now  made  of  two  types,  the 
best  of  which  is  a  ground  plate-glass 
mirror,  or  a  heavy  cloth  covered  with  a  metallic 
preparation  of  gold — the  purpose  being  to  absorb 
some  of  the  light  rays  from  the  arc  lights.  An 
estimate  of  $6,000  is  given  as  the  cost  of  the  pic- 
ture  curtains. 

(c)  Reels  of  Tickets 

A  reel  is  said  to  contain  2,500  tickets  and  costs 

$2.30  5each. 

A   daily  attendance  of  45,000  persons  requires 

4Loeal  supply  house. 
5Loeal  supply  house. 


AMUSEMENT    IN    TOLEDO,    OHIO  31 

eighteen  rolls  of  tickets — a  total  of  $41.40  a  clay,  or 
$21,528  spent  in  "pasteboards"  alone  each  year. 

(d)  Film  Service 

_         .  .   ,  Films  are   rented  from   the  various 

Two-thirds  .  ,  -  ^^ 

exchanges,    and    cost    from    $200    to 

$2,000  a  week  for  each  house.    A  con- 
servative   estimate     places    the    total 
film  rentals  per  week  at  $8,000,  or  $416,000  a  year. 

In  many  cases  the  films  are  "booked"  weeks 
and  months  in  advance.  The  fee  for  single  reels 
range  from  $25  to  $1,500  a  week6.  The  maximum 
fee  is  for  a  "first-run"  exhibition,  operated  in  a 
downtown  district  and  in  a  popular  playhouse. 
The  high  price  is  generally  placed  on  popular  films 
of  the  Fairbanks,  Chaplin  or  Pickford  type  and  in- 
clude a  seven  or  eight-reel  film.  Two  years  ago 
it  was  the  custom  for  cities  larger  than  Toledo  to 
pay  $5,000  or  $10,000  for  the  same  film  as  shown 
here.  The  large  picture-producing  companies  re- 
served the  privilege  to  levy  a  charge  according  to 
the  demands  and  resources  of  the  district.  Before 
the  government  caused  many  of  these  "trust"  com- 
binations to  dissolve,  the  cities  were  graded  accord- 
ing to  "zones." 

The  average  picture  house  uses  six  reels  daily. 
As  each  film  has  1,000  feet  of  picture,  the  45  houses 
display  270,000  feet  of  film  each  day — a  distance  of 
forty-five  miles  and  equal  to  two-thirds  of  the  dis- 
tance  to  Detroit,  Michigan!  A  few  houses  use  as 
many  as  twelve  reels  on  certain  days. 


32      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 
(e)  Cost  of  Orchestra  and  Music 

rru     Q    ,       .  Until    a    few    months    ago     four 

lne  beouctive    houseg    employed    the    services    of 

Charm  orchestra  and  high-salaried  organ- 

ist. Thirty  members  were  connected  with  the  or- 
chestras and  received  a  Union  wage  of  thirty-three 
dollars  a  week,  or  $51,480  per  year.7  In  three  of 
these  theatres  organists  were  also  employed  who 
received  from  $66  to  $75  in  wage  each  week— a 
total  of  $10,920  a  year.  With  thirty  other  piano 
players  receiving  $20  a  week,  or  $30,000  a  year, 
the  total  wages  of  musicians  a  year  amounts  to 
$92,400.  Toledo's  playhouses  have  five  excep- 
tionally fine  organs — a  total  value  of  $50,000. 
Organs  have  now  in  fact  supplanted  the  orchestras 
in  all  but  two  of  the  motion  picture  houses.  It  is 
estimated  that  there  are  forty  automatic  pianos 
and  organs  in  the  remaining  houses.  At  $2,000 
each,  this  item  represents  $80,000. 

(f)  Number  and  Salaries  of  Employees 

Employees  of  the  theatres  in- 
An  Important  dude  tkket  sellerSj  ushers,  gen- 
Item  eraj  c]eaners  anc[  attendants.  There 
are  508  employees — 304  of  them  are  males,  and  204 
females.  An  average  wage  of  $15  a  week  equals 
a  total  weekly  payroll  of  $7,620,  or  a  total  pay- 
roll  of  $396,240  for   the  year. 

°A  local  manager. 

7  A  member  of  Musician's  Union.  The  Toledo  Musician's 
Union  had  a  membership  of  440  (Dec.  11.  1918.) 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  33 

The  Motion  Picture  Operators'  Union  (before 
the  war)  had  a  membership  of  thirty-five  mem- 
bers.8 These  were  each  paid  from  $18  to  $35  a 
week — a  total  of  $875  a  week  and  a  yearly  total  of 
$45,500. 

There  are  four9  Film  Exchanges  in  the  city: 

The  General  Film  Exchange  Co.,  107  Chamber 
of  Commerce   Building. 

The  Universal  Film  Exchange  Co.,  Huron  and 
Jackson  Sts. 

The  Peerless  Film  Exchange  and  Supply 
House,  406  Ohio  Building. 

The  Community  Film  Exchange  Co.,  524  Mad- 
ison Ave. 

These  employ  from  ten  to  fifteen  persons,  and 
have  a  possible  pay-roll  of  $17,000  a  year,  which, 
together  with  office  rentals  of  $6,000,  equal  a  yearly 
total  of  $23,000  expense. 

(g)     Cost  of  Advertising 

He    who    scans    the    advertisements 

Mediums  of       ,   ,«  .  , 

of   the    picture   houses   must   be    lm- 

Advertising  ....  . 

pressed  with  the  vast  amount  that  is 

spent  each  week  for  "ads."  The  usual  mediums 
are  given  in  the  order  of  their  importance:  NEWS- 
PAPERS, SIGNS  ON  PLACES  OF  BUSINESS, 
BILLBOARDS,  HANDBILLS  and  POSTERS. 
Advertising  is  largely  a  commercial  commodity, 
therefore,  a  reasonable  estimate  is  possible.  Tole- 
do has  three  large  "dailies"  and  eight  or  more 
smaller  publications  with  advertising  space  for  the 


34      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

"movies."  A  recent  edition  (October  5,  1918)  had 
ten  pages  devoted  exclusively  to  "movie  ads."  At 
an  estimated  cost  of  $250'  a  page  the  expense  was 
$2,500  for  this  single  edition.  The  daily  issue  of 
one  paper  has  at  least  two  pages,  and  an  additional 
week-end  supplement  of  two  full  pages  of  "ads." 
It  is  estimated  that  $50,000  is  spent  for  picture 
"ads"  in  Toledo  newspapers  each  year.  A  classi- 
fied list  follows : 

Newspapers    $46,000 

Billboards    10,000 

Signs  and  Posters  (local  houses)     5,000 
Signs  and  Posters  (film  produc- 
ing  companies)     10.000 

—  -  -  - -     -^ 

Total $71,000 

This  is  probably  a  conservative  estimate,  as 
one  theatre10  alone  spent  $22,000  for  advertising  in 
1917.  Several  managers  stated  that  at  least  $100,- 
000  is  spent  in  advertising  each  year  by  the  houses 
of  Toledo. 

8.    APPROXIMATE  COST  OF  LIGHTING, 
HEATING  AND  TAXES 

1.  Lighting 

The   continuous  use  of  electricity   for 

The  Light     ,,  ,  .  ,. 

&         the  picture  machines    (in  many   cases 
Rill 

from  10  A.  M.  to  11  P.  M.)  represents 

8Statement   of  member. 

9There  is  an   "Animated  Ad   Service   Co."  206   Huron 
St.   which   is    not   included   in   this   classification. 
10Statement    of    manager. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  35 

an  expense  of  $65  a  week  for  the  larger  houses 
alone.  It  is  estimated  that  the  average  weekly  ex- 
pense for  each  of  the  45  houses  is  $135,  or  a  total 
of  $7,020  for  the  year. 

One  photoplay  house  has  one  of  the  best  equip- 
ments in  the  country.11  A  notable  feature  is  the 
stage  setting,  which  is  frequently  changed  by  an 
extremely  unique  lighting  system.  Unlike  the  usu- 
al motion  picture  house,  which  operates  the  lights 
from  the  operator's  booth,  the  electric  board  is 
placed  back  of  the  stage,  where  control  of  the  triple 
lighting  system  is  lodged.  Varied  colors  of  amber, 
blue  and  red  are  giyen  to  harmonize  with  the  moyie 
scenes.  The  lighting  is  both  pleasing  and  utili- 
tarian. 

2.    Heating 

_,       _  A  discriminating  public  demands  well- 

The  Coal    ,          .        ,,.     .    .,,.  T 

heated   public   buildings.  In   many   ot 

Bill 

the    larger   theatres,    this  amounts    to 

$2,000  a  year.  The  heating  bill  of  the  45  houses  av- 
erages  $45,000  a  year.  One  hundred  and  six  differ- 
ent heating  connections  were  noted.  The  preyail- 
ing  heating  system  consists  of  gas  stoyes,  steam  and 
hot  water  apparatus. 

For  a  complete  classified  list  of  the  nature  and 
number  of  heating  apparatus,  see  pages  26-27. 

3.     Taxes 

A  Federal  and  County  Tax  (each  for  $100)   is 


36      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

imposed  on   each  place   of   business.     A  classified 
tax  list  is  appended : 

Real  Estate  Tax 

Land  and  Buildings $97,960.00 

Personal  Property 

Pianos  and  Organs 2,054.00 

Seats  and  Chairs 1,115.43 

Motion  Picture  Machines..  553.00 

Screens  and  Curtains 94.80 

Total  Taxes   $101,777.20 

9.  ATTENDANCE 

Five   separate  sources  were  consult- 
°    ed  as  to  the  approximate  attendance 
at  the   picture   shows.      Many   deter- 
mining  factors   must   be    considered.      A   few   are 
given : 

1.  Day  of  the  week  and  time  of  day. 

2.  Character  of  show  and  pictures. 

3.  Location  and  accessibility  of  building. 

4.  Lack  of  uniform  admission  fee. 

5.  Significance  of  "extra"  inducements. 

6.  Board  of  Health  restrictions. 

7.  Weather  conditions  and  season  of  the  year. 

8.  Significance    of    Saturdays,    Sundays    and 
holidays. 

9.  Psychological  status  of  the  "crowd"  mind. 
Like  many  other  forms  of  public  amusement, 

the  business  is  subject  to  marked  fluctuation.     In- 
formation revealed  that  the  attendance  varies  from 

liThe    Valentine. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  37 

40,000  to  60,000  persons  a  day.  No  account  is  made 
for  extra  shows  and  holidays.  A  conservative  fig- 
ure representing-  the  normal  and  regular  attend- 
ance is  as  follows : 

Average  daily  attendance...  45,000 
Average  weekly  attendance.  316,000 
Average  yearly  attendance..  16,380,000 
Six  down-town  houses  alone  have  12,500  daily 
attendants,  or  75,000  patrons  a  week.  It  is  not  un- 
usual for  these  houses  to  have  5,000  and  even  9,000 
patrons  each  day.  The  smaller  neighborhood 
houses  cannot  compete  with  the  more  centrally  lo- 
cated and  larger  houses  in  attendance.  Like  the 
large  theatres,  the  small  houses  are  greatly  patron- 
ized on  Saturdays,  Sundays  and  holidays.13  Thea- 
tres in  residential  and  suburban  districts,  except  on 
Saturdays  and  Sundays,  usually  close  during  the 
day,  and  run  from  three  to  four  shows  in  the  even- 
ing. In  the  business  districts  the  shows  are  open 
continuously  from  11  A.  M.  to  11  P.  M. 

1.     PROPORTION  OF  ADULTS  AND 
CHILDREN 

The  managers  of  fourteen  picture 

More  Males         ,  ,.    ,  .,  , 

houses   were   consulted   as   to   this 

Than  Females     .  ^  ^     ^    • 

item.      \\  ith    their    answers    as    a 

basis,  the  following  general  average  is  given.     The 

estimate  is  given  for  Saturdays  and  Sundays  only  :14 

Percentage  of  males    40% 

Percentage  of  females   35% 

Percentage  of  children    25% 

Total   ioor ; 


38      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

More  adult  males  attend  during  the  day  in 
downtown  theatres ;  more  adult  females  and  chil- 
dren in  evening  in  suburban  theatres,  while  the 
business  districts  have  evenly  mixed  audiences  in 
the  evening. 

The  proportion  of  unattended 

Unchaperoned  in       ,  .,  ,  ,,  u 

1  children  is  greater  in  the  smaller 

Smaller  Theatres         .  1 ,      ,       -    ^  . .        , 

neighborhood  than  the  down- 
town theatres.  Investigation  revealed  that  about 
twelve  and  one-half  per  cent  of  the  children  under 
17  years  of  age  were  unchaperoned  in  the  neigh- 
borhood theatre.  The  percentage  of  children  at  the 
downtown  theatres  (unattended)  amounts  to  about 
eight  per  cent,  and  under  15  years  of  age. 

The   average   atendance   in   many 

Toledo  Above       ...  ,       A     .  OAr/  ^  ,    , 

cities  is  placed  at  20% — in    loledo 

it  is  given  as  25% — slightly  above 
the  average.  Beside  the  60,000  children  of  school 
age,  there  are  about  20,000  others  under  18  years 
who  work  in  stores  and  industries.  Exhibitors  can- 
not be  blamed,  if  public  sentiment  supported  by 
laxity  of  parents,  allow  unchaperoned  children  un- 
der 17  years  of  age  to  attend  the  theatres.  The 
Juvenile  Court  of  Toledo  deplores  the  laxity  of  par- 
ental control  over  the  children — claiming  that  it  is 
the  great  contributing  force  to  juvenile  delinquency. 
This  same  Court  claims  :  that  at  least  fifty  per  cent 
of  the  four  hundred  children  each  month  who  come 
before  them  for  investigation,  receive  suggestions 
for  evil  at  the  "movies" — the  greater  part  of  the 
balance  at  pool-rooms  and  bowling-alleys. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  39 

2.    Admission  Fees 

The    price    of    admission    varies 

Seven  to  .     ££,     c  .     r 

trom  seven  to  nlty-hve  cents   (m- 

Fifty-five  Cents       ,     ,.  v      -,-.  ,.       ..        Cr 

J  eluding  war-tax).     Estimating  ni- 

teen  cents  as  the  popular  price  admission  fee,  the 
sum  of  $2,457,000.00  is  realized  in  admissions  each 
year.  Allowing  sixty-two  per  cent  of  the  revenue 
for  operating  expenses,  we  have  a  net  gain  of  thirty- 
eight  per  cent  from  admission  fees.  Allowing  six 
per  cent  for  depreciation  on  the  original  investment, 
a  net  profit  of  fourteen  and  two-thirds  per  cent,  is 
lealized.  At  this  rate,  in  nine  years,  the  original 
investment  is  paid  for,  an  additional  profit  of  thirty- 
eight  per  cent  of  the  revenue  realized  annually  and 
a  net  sum  of  $948,563.77  for  each  year.  A  sugges- 
tion as  to  the  size  of  the  receipts  in  a  downtown 
house,  may  be  noted  in  the  statement  of  a  manager, 

12A   leading   playhouse   manager. 

13Of  twenty  surveys  of  motion  pictures,  the  follow- 
ing facts  are  noted:  Over  three-fourths  of  school  chil- 
dren in  U.  S.  attend:  over  forty  per  cent  attend  once  a 
week:  over  twenty  per  cent  attend  twice  a  week;  the 
weekly  attendance   equals   entire   population   of  each  city. 

14The  Lucas  County  School  Association — an  inter- 
denominational organization  in  Toledo  and  Lucas  Coun- 
ty, has  an  enrollment  of  33,847  scholars  (Protestants). 
It  is  estimated  that  the  average  weekly  attendance  is 
17,424   pupils,    or,    51.4$    of    the    total    enrollment. 

The  Public  Schools  have  an  approximate  enrollment 
of  40,000  pupils,  the  Parochial  schools,  10,000,  and  the 
Lutheran,  1,800  pupils — a  total  of  51,800  school  children 
in  Toledo.  At  least  30,000  or  58%  of  these  children  at- 
tend the  movies  once  a  week,  a  large  percentage  attend 
two  and  three   times   a  week. 


40      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

who  deplored  the  fact  "tnat,  although  he  had  a  'full' 
house  at  each  performance,  yet,  due  to  health 
'bans/  he  lost  $500  in  profit  for  one  day."  (See 
page  42.) 

3.   The  Typical  "Movie"  Show  of  Toledo 

The    regular   picture   shows    in   the 

A  "Mixed" 

downtown   theatres  have  a  run  last- 
Programme  ,  ,  A 
&                 mg    two    and    one-quarter   hours.      A 

programme  selected  from  a  leading  house  is  char- 
acteristic of  many  of  the  best  houses. 

News  Review. 

Treatise  of  Titles  from  Magazines. 

An  Educational  Reel. 

Clown  Comedy. 

Feature  Plays  (usually  a  light  dramatic 
comedy.) 
In  the  smaller  houses  there  is  a  great  amount 
of  what  is  called  "comedy."  At  present  they  are 
offering  more  "vampire"  scenes  than  the  larger 
houses.  A  limited  amount  of  educational  films  is 
noted  in  the  smaller  houses. 

The  large   houses   claim  that  the  de- 

.  picting  of  vampire  life  is  less  popular 
Dramatic  than  before  the  war>  Patrons  are  now 
Comedy  demanding  "light  dramatic  comedy"  as 
a  relief  from  the  strain  of  the  conflict.  One  man- 
ager, when  asked  if  this  was  generally  true, 
replied :  "Yes,  and,  after  examining  a  whole  lot  of 
comedy  trash,  I  have  to  state  that  it  was  never  so 
'light'  as  now.  We  serve  the  people,  therefore  we 
give  them  what  they  demand." 


AMUSEMENT  IN   TOLEDO,  OHIO  41 

10-A.    APPROXIMATE  INVESTMENT  IN 

MOTION  PICTURE  INDUSTRY  OF 

TOLEDO,  OHIO. 


1.  Land  and  Buildings $6,200,000.00 

2.  Pianos  and  Organs 140,000.00 

3.  Scats  and  Chairs 56,132.00 

4.  Moving  Picture  Machines 33,000.00 

5.  Picture  Screens  and  Curtains....  6,000.00 

Total $6,435,132.00 


10-B.    APPROXIMATE  OPERATING  EX- 
PENSES FOR  THE  YEAR 


1.  Cost  of  Film  Service $  416,000.00 

2.  Wages  of  Employees 396.240.00 

3.  Cost  of  Rental  Fees   (building) .  .  239.00000 

4.  Cost  of  Advertising    100.000.00 

5.  Taxes  on  Real  Estate 97,960.00 

6.  Wages  of  Orchestra    51,480.00 

7.  Wages  of  Motion  Picture  Opera- 

tors      45.500.00 

8.  Cost  of  Heating 45,000.00 

9.  Federal    and    County    Taxes    for 

Privilege  of  Exhibition 45,000.00 

10.  Wages  of  Piano  Players 30,000.00 

11.  Wages  of  Film    Exchange    Em- 

ployees and  Office  Rental 23.000.00 


42       MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

12.  Cost    of    Admission    Tickets     (18 

Rolls  of  2,500  each) 15,169.00 

13.  Cost  of  Electricity    7,020.00 

14.  Cost  of  Taxes  on  Personal  Prop- 

erty      3,817.00 

Total  $1,515,186.00 

10-C.  APPROXIMATE  REVENUE 
FROM  ADMISSION  FEES 
FOR    YEAR $2,457,000.00 


A  SUGGESTION  AS  TO  RECEIPTS  FOR 
TWO  DAYS  ONLY. 


Escape    With    $300;    Precaution    Saves    $4,000    for 

Temple. 


Burglars  blew  the  safe  in  the  Temple  Theatre 
sometime  between  midnight  and  6  o'clock  Monday 
morning,  secured  $300  and  escaped. 

Saturday  and  Sunday  receipts,  totaling  more 
than  $4,000,  had  been  placed  in  the  Boody  House 
for  safekeeping  by  Manager  Edward  A.  Zorn. 

The  small  safe  was  taken  to  the  middle  of  the 
auditorium  and  blown.  A  jimmy  and  hammer  were 
left  as  clues. 

Police  believe  someone  hid  inside  the  theatre 
until  after  midnight  and  then  admitted  aides. — 
Daily  Blade. 


AMUSEMENT  IX   TOLEDO,  OHIO  43 


CHAPTER  I. 


QUESTIONS,    METHODS    AND    INVESTIGA- 
TIONS 


1.  In  the  study  of  Commercialized  Amusements 
ments  in  your  City,  what  sources  would  you 
consult?     Which  is  the  most  reliable?     Why? 

2.  Do  you  think  it  advisable  in  the  study  of  a 
social  problem  by  a  Church  or  a  Young  Peo- 
ple's Society,  to  engage  the  services  of  a  so- 
cial survey  expert  or  rely  upon  the  statements 
of  individuals  as  they  may  "volunteer?"  State 
your  preference  with  reasons. 

3.  How  many  moving  picture  houses  in  your 
city?  What  is  their  condition  as  regards:  (a) 
Fire  Hazard?  (b)  Ventilation  and  Sanitation  ? 
(c)  Location?  (d)  Seating  Capacity?  (e) 
Number  and  Wages  of  Employees?  (f)  Num- 
ber  of   patrons   each    day?      (g)    Number   and 

Ages  of  Children?     (h)   Hours  of  Patronage? 

4.  What  is  the  general  character  of  the  "Movie" 
program  in  your  city?  Could  it  be  improved? 
How  ? 

5.  Where    would    you    obtain    an    "approximate" 

estimate  of  the  amount  paid  in  admission  fee-? 

6.  Will   you   make    an    attempt    to   ascertain    the 


44      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

amount  of  money  invested  in  the  Motion  Pic- 
ture industry  of  your  city? 

7.  Will  you  prepare  a  list  of  all  the  Agencies  of 
Public  Amusements  in  your  City?  The  Priv- 
ate Agencies? 

8.  Have  moving  picture  shows,  theatrical  per- 
formances and  other  amusements  been  intro- 
duced in  the  public  schools?  With  what  suc- 
cess? 

9.  How  and  by  whom  are  the  regulations  con- 
cerning the  saloons,  theatres,  rooming  houses 
and  public  dance  halls  enforced  in  your  city? 

10.  Does  your  city  make  provision  for  public 
recreational  facilities,  or  is  this  left  to  agencies 
of  commercialized  amusement? 

11.  Does  the  pressure  of  new  social  conditions  re- 
quire more  consideration  on  the  part  of  com- 
munities as  to  proper  recreational  facilities? 
Discuss. 

12.  Is  it  the  duty  of  the  church  to  present  ideals 
for  the  proper  conduct  of  amusement?  Dis- 
cuss either  "pro"  or  "con." 

13.  What  are  the  provisions  for  amusement  in 
your  neighborhood? 

14.  Are  you  familiar  with  the  arguments  advanced 
for  "Community  centers?"  Where  have  they 
been  tried  and  with  what  success? 

15.  Does  the  congestion  of  population,  the  in- 
crease of  building  area  and  the  decrease  of  play 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  45 

space,  demand  constructive  civic  effort  as  re- 
gards play  and  recreation  facilities?     Discuss. 

16.  Is  the  manner  in  which  a  city  spends  its  "leis- 
ure time"  of  any  concern  to  the  entire  com- 
munity?    Discuss. 

17.  What  books  or  magazine  articles  on  amuse- 
ments have  you  read?  Discuss  the  one  you 
prefer. 

18.  What  is  the  status  of  the  "Playground  Move- 
ment" in  Toledo?    In  your  own  city?    Are  you 

familiar  with  the  "Playground  Magazine?" 

19.  Are  you  a  regular  reader  of  the  Weekly  Maga- 
zine, "The  Survey?"  What  commendable  fea- 
tures does  it  possess? 

20.  Are  you  familiar  with  the  social-service  pro- 
gramme of  the  Federal  Council  of  Churches  of 
North  America?  With  the  social-service  pro- 
gramme of  your  own  denomination?  What  is 
the  attitude  of  your  own  Church  towards  its 
realization?    Active  or  passive? 

21.  What  is  the  particular  contribution  of  your 
society  or  church  to  the  social  problems  of 
your  City? 

22.  What  is  your  City  Budget  for   recreation? 

23.  Describe  some  of  the  social  and  religious  ques- 
tions which  the  war  has  brought  to  the  sur- 
face. Is  community  provision  for  proper 
play  facilities  receiving  any  attention  in  your 
community?     By  whom? 


SECTION  TWO 


Mental  Effects  and 
Educational  Significance 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  49 

A.     SCHOOL  SURVEYS 


1.   Toledo  School  Survey- 
In    1916,    Miss     Bess    Cunningham, 

^~    3l       Kindergarten  Director  in   one  of  Tolc- 

do's  schools,  made  an  exhaustive  study 
Attend  in       ^   „The    Rffect   of   the   Movies   Upon 

Two  Days  School  ChildrerL"  jt  \s  to  be  regretted 
that  this  study  has  not  wider  distribution  and  con- 
sequent discussion — as  the  facts  have  great  educa- 
tional significance.  In  an  effort  to  measure  the  in- 
fluence of  the  pictures,  a  group  of  school  children 
were  asked  to  write  a  statement  of  what  they  did 
on  Saturday  and  Sunday  of  each  week.  From  the 
statements  of  five  hundred  children  in  one  school 
district,  it  was  shown  that  the  "shows"  attracted 
fifty-eight  per  cent  of  the  number  on  the  two  speci- 
fied days,  while  shopping,  visiting  and  entertain- 
ments offered  a  counter  attraction  to  the  remaining 
forty-two  per  cent. 

In  a  second  public  school,  the  attendance  (in- 
cluding the  kindergartners)  show  that  only  five  per 
cent  do  not  attend  picture  exhibitions.  It  was  also 
observed  that  for  every  child  who  does  not  attend, 
nineteen  are  regular  attendants.  From  this  same 
table,  the  average  attendance  is  oftener  than  once 
a  week  and  but  slightly  less  than  twice  a  week.  Of 
the  total  number,  twenty  per  cent  frequently  attend 
the  shows  three  times  a  week  or  more — the  number 
varying  from  three  to  seven  time -s  a  week.  In  other 
words,  for  every  four  children  who  do  not  go  as 


50      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

often  as  three  times  a  week,  there  is  one  who  at- 
tends three  times  or  more. 

A  consideration  of  the  dangers  revealed : 

Overstimulation,  eye-strain  and  loss  of  needed 
sleep. 

Unattended — fifty  per  cent  walking  the  streets 
alone. 

Weakening  of  morals  and  development  of  false 
ideals  of  life. 

Substitute  for  physical  exercise. 

Unwholesome  curiosity  and  craving  for  excite- 
ment. 

PREFERENCES  EXPRESSED  BY  THE 

CHILDREN 


Fight- 

Ani- 

ing 

mals 

5 

4 

20 

4 

10 

3 

10 

1 

Grade  Comedy 

Kindergarten    20 

First  Grade   15 

Second  Grade   22 

Third  Grade  31 


Total  88  45  12 


Grade  Babies 

Kindergarten    2 

First  Grade 2 

Second  Grade  3 

Third  Grade 3 


Total   10  8  12 


Never 

ociety 
2 

Go 

5 

4 

4 

1 

1 

1 

2 

AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  51 

Educa-  Fight- 
Grade  Comedy  Thrill 

Fourth    41  12 

Fifth 14  15 

Sixth   16  19 

Seventh   8  12 

Eighth   9  6 


i&j 


ional 

mg 

5 

15 

5 

8 

0 

2 

6 

1 

4 

0 

Total   88  64  20  z6 

Interesting  Never 

Grade  Story 

Fourth    2 

Fifth    4 

Sixth   4 

Seventh    0 

Eisrhth    4 


i&j 


Sad 

Go 

0 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

1 

0 

1 

Total   14  5  8 

II.  PROVIDENCE  SCHOOL  SURVEY 


"What  kind  of  moving  pictures  do  you  like 
best,  and  why?"  was  the  question  recently  given  to 
2,464  school  children  of  the  grammar  schools  of 
Providence,  R.  I.  The  question  was  given  in  the 
school  and  the  answers  were  required  before  any 
outside  assistance  could  be  given. 

Of  the  2,464  scholars,  only   156  declared  that 


52      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

they  did  not  attend  the  movies.  The  preference  is 
given  as  follows : 

Grade  5         6        7        8    Totals 

Educational    195  183  317  312  1,007 

Western   192  211  186  146  735 

Comedy   85  90  99  100  364 

Do  Not  Attend 20  44  47  45  156 

Drama   25  34  36  44  139 

Comic   5  19  10  29  63 

Totals   522     581     695     676    2,464 

The  answers  combined  many  com- 

A  Confession  ,  ,  ,       u         ,     •  ,  •         e  <       u 

mendable   characteristics   of   lovalty, 

and  Appeal        ,  .„.  ,       r  • 

rr  bravery,    willingness    to    forgive 

wrongs  and  care  for  the  weak.  A  large  preference 
for  "gambling,"  "carousing"  and  even  "killing" 
scenes  are  noted,  however.  Comments,  such  as 
"they  are  exciting  and  I  forget  everything," — "I  like 
to  go  and  see  them,  cause  then  I  can  go  out  and 
rehearse  what  I've  seen ;"  "I  like  Western  pictures 
best  because  they  make  boys  run  out  West  to  be- 
come cowboys ;"  "I  like  pictures  that  show  a  fellar 
with  three  children  on  his  hands,  because  another 
fellow  can  come  along  and  take  his  wife  away  from 
him ;"  "I  like  love-making  pictures  best, — it  is  ex- 
citing to  see  two  men  after  the  same  girl." 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  53 

III.    CLEVELAND  SCHOOL  SURVEY 


The  Cleveland  Foundation  Com- 
The  Voice  of  mittee  made  a  survey  of  the  schools 
Social  Science  and  discovered  that  seVenty-eight 
per  cent  of  the  boys  and  84  per  cent  of  the  girls  of 
the  elementary  schools  attend  the  movies.  Twenty- 
four  per  cent  of  the  boys  and  30  per  cent  of  the 
girls  also  attend  vaudeville.  Of  the  high  school 
boys,  eighty  per  cent,  and  30  per  cent  of  the  high 
school  girls  attend  the  movies  regularly.  The  boys 
attend  on  the  average  three  times  in  two  weeks, 
and  the  girls  a  little  more  than  once  a  week.  Sixty- 
seven  per  cent  of  the  high  school  boys  and  59  per 
cent  of  the  high  school  girls  also  attend  the  vaude- 
ville and  burlesque. 

IV.  PORTLAND,  OREGON,  SCHOOL  SURVEY 

(1914) 


In  a  survey  of  Vaudeville  and  Motion  Picture 
Shows,  conducted  by  President  Foster,  of  Reed  Col- 
lege, with  the  aid  of  sixty  investigators,  the  follow- 
ing interesting  data  is  given  : 

"Reports  of  2,647  children  were  received.  The 
significant  fact  is  that  of  these  children,  91.7%  of 
whom  are  fourteen  years  of  age  and  under,  only  251, 
or  9.5%  do  not  attend  motion  picture  shows,  and 
that  754,  or  28.4r^  attend  twice  a  week  or  oftener. 
One  hundred  and  forty-nine,  or  5.6%  of  them  at- 
tend  three  times  a   week.     The  boys  report  more 


54      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

frequent  attendance  than  the  girls,  but  the  differ- 
ence is  not  great.  The  table  reveals  as  a  further 
fact  of  importance  that  63.7%  of  these  children  re- 
port that  they  generally  attend  at  night.  Answers 
received  from  3,365  children,  from  the  third  to  the 
eighth  grade  of  the  schools  of  San  Francisco,  indi- 
cate that  over  90%  of  the  children  go  once  a  week, 
and  that  74%  go  once  a  week  at  night. 

"Of  the  Portland  girls,  64.8%  report  that  they 
attend  at  night.  This  means  that  in  the  city  of 
Portland,  approximately  7,564  school  girls,  fourteen 
years  of  age  or  under,  attend  motion  picture  shows 
at  night." 

"In  answer  to  the  general  question,  'What  kind 
of  pictures  do  you  like  best?"  the  2,647  children 
gave  93  different  answers.  A  large  number  ex- 
pressed their  preference  for  films  showing  action. 
There  are  one-thousand  and  eighty-eight  calls  for 
pictures  of  war,  soldiers,  cowboys,  Indians,  ad- 
venture and  excitement.  Less  than  one-third  of 
these  are  preference  of  girls.  There  were  948  calls 
for  comedy.  The  managers  are  right  in  responding 
to  the  needs  of  children  and  adolescence  by  provid- 
ing many  pictures  of  rapid  action  and  of  fun,  even 
tho  we  may  earnestly  hope  for  an  improvement  in 
the  quality  of  these  type  of  films.  There  were  631 
preferences  for  pictures  having  definite  educational 
value.  Such  pictures  are  evidently  not  supplied 
now  in  proportion  to  their  demand. 


>  >> 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO 


55 


V.     PORTLAND,  OREGON.  SCHOOL 

(Preference) 


(A  Study  of  Nine  Grades; 


Average 


Preference  for  all  grades 

Comedy    36.05  per  cent 

War   15.84  per  cent 

Cowboys  and   Indians 15.32  per  cent 

Instructive    7.95  per  cent 

Detective  Stories 6.46  per  cent 

Drama   4.18  per  cent 

Adventure    4.79  per  cent 

History    3.88  per  cent 

Exciting 3.23  per  cent 

Keystone    2.43  per  cent 

Travel    2.24  per  cent 

All    Kinds    2.18  per  cent 

Soldiers    2.13  per  cent 

Jungle — Wild  Animals    2.05  per  cent 

Books   and   Stories 2.05  per  cent 


VI.    SAN  FRANCESCO  SCHOOL  CHILDREN 


(A  Study  from  the  Third  to  the  Eighth  Grades) 

Average 

Preferences  for  all  grades 

Wild  West 37     per  cent 

Comic   14      per  cent 

War    9.5  per  cent 

Historical    8      per  cent 


56      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Scenic    7.5  per  cent 

Romantic    6      per  cent 

Adventure    5      per  cent 

Educational    5      per  cent 

Sad 4      per  cent 

Liked  all  kinds 2.5  per  cent 

Preferred  Vaudeville   1      per  cent 

Do  not  like  Motion  Pictures 5      per  cent 

VII.   RECREATION— AN  AID  TO  GOOD 

CITIZENSHIP 


Last  June  the  Council  of  National  Defense  sent 
to  the  patriotic  organizations  of  all  the  cities  and 
villages  of  the  United  States  an  urgent  request  to 
give  especial  attention  to  the  subject  of  recreation. 
The  impetus  back  of  this  movement  was  the  un- 
fortunate experience  of  other  nations  engaged  in 
war,  in  which  child  crime  increased  alarmingly  dur- 
ing the  first  years  of  the  struggle.  In  England, 
there  was  an  increase  of  65  per  cent  during  the  first 
year,  and  in  France  an  increase  of  over  70  per  cent 
for  the  same  period.  An  investigation  of  the  causes 
of  this  unparalleled  development  of  child  criminals' 
proved  that  the  main  reason  was  the  removal  of  the 
usual  safeguards  of  childhood,  many  fathers  hav- 
ing gone  to  war,  a  large  number  of  mothers  then 
had  to  earn  the  living,  and  worst  of  all,  in  many 
places  the  schools  had  been  closed. 

The   seriousness   of  the   condition   commanded 
the  attention  of  the  governments  of  both  England 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  57 

and  France  even  during  that  critical  time,  for  the 
welfare  of  children  is  always  of  vital  importance, 
and  there  is  nothing  childish  about  child  crime.  We 
do  not  have  to  go  beyond  the  records  of  our  own 
Toledo  courts  to  find  that  children  have  been  con- 
victed of  hold-ups,  burglary,  arson,  and  even  mur- 
der. The  best  solution  of  the  problem  and  the  one 
adopted  in  both  countries  was  the  reopening  of  the 
schools,  and  the  provision  of  supervised  recreation 
for  all  children.  In  spite  of  the  great  drain  on  the 
finances  of  the  country  at  that  time,  England  \oted 
one  million  pounds  to  be  spent  on  recreation  alone, 
and  the  results  have  more  than  justified  the  ex- 
penditure. 

When  the  United  States  entered  the  war  it 
was  with  the  determination  to  profit  by  the  experi- 
ences of  our  allies,  but  forewarned  was  not  fore- 
armed in  the  case  of  the  care  of  the  children  ;  there- 
fore at  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  our  participation 
in  the  conflict,  it  was  not  altogether  surprising  to 
find  that  there  had  been  an  increase  in  child  crime 
of  31  per  cent  in  Chicago  and  32  per  cent  in  New 
York  City.  Sixteen  of  the  other  large  cities  of  the 
country  had  an  average  increase  in  this  line  of  20 
per  cent,  and  in  all  probability  Toledo  is  no  excep- 
tion to  the  rule. 

Our  first  efifort  to  respond  to  the  call  from 
Washington  was  a  play  survey  of  the  city  to  see 
what  conditions  actually  prevailed  here.  A  chart 
was  prepared  on  which  could  be  checked  up  all  the 
children  seen  out  of  doors,  and  where  they  were 
and  what  they  were  doing  duly  noted. 


68      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

In  order  that  the  survey  should  be  of  value  an 
effort  was  made  to  study  the  problem  at  various 
hours  of  the  day,  morning,  afternoon,  and  the  new 
long  light  evenings,  and  also  to  observe  various  dis- 
tricts, which  might  be  classed  as  superior,  medium 
and  neglected  neighborhoods. 

The  results  in  all  parts  of  the  city  were  aston- 
ishingly uniform,  and  the  summary  showed  that  68 
per  cent  of  the  children  were  out  on  the  sidewalks, 
8  per  cent  were  in  the  yards,  10  per  cent  were  in 
parks  and  playgrounds,  and  the  remainder  of  14  per 
cent  were  evidently  "going  somewhere."  The 
recreations  in  which  the  children  were  also  propor- 
tionately uniform  throughout  the  city :  62  per  cent 
were  doing  nothing  that  could  command  a  more 
dignified  name  than  "fooling,"  29  per  cent  were 
using  apparatus  of  some  kind,  bicycles,  roller  skates, 
scooters,  or  the  swings,  bars,  or  swimming  pools  of 
the  city  playgrounds,  and  only  9  per  cent  were  play- 
ing anything  that  even  resembled  an  organized 
game. 

The  cause  for  the  absence  of  games  is  not  very 
far  to  seek.  Almost  all  good  games,  such  as  our 
national  favorite,  baseball,  require  considerable 
space  in  which  to  be  played,  and  our  games  have 
therefore  disappeared  with  our  vacant  lots.  The 
middle  of  the  street,  which  was  also  the  child's 
stronghold  a  few  years  ago,  is  now  pre-empted  by 
the  automobile  and  the  children  have  been  driven 
off,  not  because  they  minded  the  danger  in  the  least, 
but  merely  because  the  interest  in  a  game  cannot 


AMUSEMENT  IX  TOLEDO,  OHIO  59 

be  kept  up  when  an  interruption  occurs  every   few 

seconds. 

The  facts  which  this  little  survey  disclosed  de- 
serve serious  consideration.  When  so  many  chil- 
dren are  found  to  be  on  the  sidewalks  it  becom 
necessary  to  investigate  very  carefully  to  see  what 
they  are  getting-  there.  It  seems  entirely  possible 
that  the  pointless  ''fooling''  may  lead  directly  to  the 
btill  more  unprofitable  "loafing"  which  is  so  com- 
mon, especially  in  the  vicinity  of  corner  drug  stor 
and  pool  rooms,  in  the  long  evening  hours.  At  one 
corner  a  group  of  boys  was  observed  nearly  every 
pleasant  evening  during  the  summer.  The  sole 
business  of  these  bovs  seemed  to  be  making  com- 
ments  on  the  passers-by.  They  usually  gathered 
before  7  o'clock  and  often  staid  until  after  10  in  the 
evening.  It  hardly  seems  possible  that  any  live 
American  boy  could  have  endured  the  monotony  of 
such  a  procedure,  yet  the  same  condition  prevails 
in  many  parts  of  the  city.  When  so  many  children 
loaf  upon  the  streets  and  so  few  seem  to  be  inter- 
ested in  active,  constructive  games  or  occupations, 
it  seems  timely  to  take  heed  of  Jacob  Riis'  warning 
— "Street  corners  and  alleys  develop  bums,  tramps 
and  ruffians." 

Mr.  E.  B.  DeGroot.  who  recently  made  a  recrea- 
tion survey  of  many  cities  in  the  country,  calls  at- 
tention to  the  general  us  of  the  street  as  a  play- 
ground, and  follows  it  with  the  statement,  "Play 
and  loafing  upon  the  street  nullify  the  cultural  ef- 
fect of  the  school.  Bad  manners,  vile  language,  the 
development  of  cunning,  and  of  disrespect  for  law, 


60      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

and  desperate  tactics  in  social  relationships  are  the 
inevitable  part  of  go-as-you-please  street  play  in  the 
city.  It  may  be  said  in  this  connection  that  the  play 
of  children  upon  the  streets  at  this  time  is  almost 
never  of  the  vigorous,  constructive  order  that  ob- 
tained among  the  previous  generations.  What  to 
do  with  the  children  from  the  time  that  they  are 
dismissed  from  school  until  it  is  time  for  them  to 
go  to  bed  is  a  national  as  well  as  a  local  problem. 
The  problem  is,  of  course,  intensified  during  the 
long  summer  vacation.  Child  idleness  is  a  greater 
danger  than  child  labor." 

The  beginning  of  the  solution  of  the  problem 
is  to  make  the  older  people  realize  that  the  children 
are  not  playing  as  they  did  when  they  were  young. 
In  one  of  our  large  public  schools  such  old-time 
favorites  as  pull-away,  prisoners'  base  and  cross-tag 
were  found  to  be  perfectly  new  to  the  present  gen- 
eration. One  boy  of  eleven  was  overheard  explain- 
ing to  a  group  of  boys  of  his  own  age  "a  new  game 
of  ball"  which  he  called  "One-a-cat."  It  seems  al- 
most impossible  that  "one-old-cat"  once  so  dear  to 
the  heart  of  Young  America  should  now  be  so  far 
on  the  road  to  oblivion. 

When  the  grown  people  become  convinced  that 
the  conditions  surrounding  the  children  have 
changed,  and  that  they  cannot  go  back  to  the  happy 
ways  of  their  own  childhood  by  merely  turning  back 
the  hands  of  the  clock,  then  public  sentiment  will  be 
back  of  the  plans  providing  a  more  wholesome  play 
life  for  the  little  people.  A  great  deal  of  force  could 
be  given  to  the  recreation  movement  by  a  general 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  61 

desire  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  to  sec  that  the 
children  of  our  city  are  provided  with  the  opportun- 
ity for  engaging  in  profitable  activities.  The  old- 
fashioned  games  developed  a  great  many  very  de- 
sirable qualities— health,  courage,  endurance,  self- 
control,  honesty,  quickness,  judgment,  as  well  as 
such  distinctly  social  virtues  as  team-work  and 
loyalty.  Not  one  of  these  characteristics  is  apt  to 
be  developed  by  either  the  paltry  "fooling"  or  the 
passive  pleasures  which  seem  to  have  taken  the 
place  of  the  lusty  games.  Health  and  power,  too, 
are  usually  gained  in  childhood  and  if  missed  then 
these  rich  attributes  are  usually  missed  for  all  time. 
The  problem,  therefore,  is  far  too  important  to  be 
left  to  solve  itself. 

Of  course  well-regulated  play  grounds  offer  a 
partial  solution  of  the  difficulty.  In  Toledo,  one  is 
confronted  immediately  by  the  lack  of  funds  to  pro- 
vide the  necessary  grounds  with  adequate  equip- 
ment and  supervision,  and  of  the  two  the  latter  is 
by  far  the  more  important.  , 

Another  plan,  and  one  that  promises  to  be  far- 
reaching  in  effect,  is  that  of  teaching  games  that 
require  both  thought  and  skill,  and  may  be  planned 
in  a  small  space,  which  seems  to  be  all  that  is  avail- 
able in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  city.  The  teaching 
of  the  games  is  to  be  given  special  attention  in  both 
the  public  and  the  parochial  schools.  If  the  ganu  - 
are  played  frequently  in  the  school  rooms  or  on  the 
playgrounds,  the  interest  may  carry  over  to  the 
home,  and  the  children  will  then  play  them  there 


62      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

of  their  own  accord.  The  repetition  of  the  games 
under  direction  is  very  important  to  the  success  of 
the  undertaking,  for  the  games  that  have  been 
pkiyed  frequently  are  the  ones  the  children  like  best 
and  they  will  call  for  them  again  and  again  in  pref- 
erence to  new  games,  however  fine,  with  which  they 
are  not  familiar. 

There  are  also  many  agencies  for  promoting 
wholesome  activities  among  children  of  Toledo, 
which  are  not  yet  used  to  their  fullest  extent.  The 
Boy  Scouts,  Girl  Scouts,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  Y.  W.  C. 
A.  are  all  organizations  which  use  play  as  a  means 
of  developing  American  modes  of  thought  and 
American  ideals.  Many  samples  of  fair  play  and 
of  "being  square"  which  our  soldiers  carried  to 
Europe  were  developed  under  the  supervised  recrea- 
tion of  just  such  agencies  as  these. 

Toledo  also  has  two  organizations  which  are 
unique  for  providing  wholesome  recreation :  one  is 
the  Newsboys'  Association,  and  the  other,  the  To- 
ledo Museum  of  Art.  In  both  these  lines  Toledo  is 
the  honor  city  of  the  nation.  The  wonderful  results 
to  be  obtained  from  the  substitution,  of  something 
definitely  good  for  something  useless,  or  actually 
bad,  have  been  demonstrated  among  our  newsboys 
for  so  many  years  that  perhaps  we  underestimate 
the  value  of  this  Association.  We  have  almost  be- 
gun to  accept  our  fine  type  of  street  merchant  as  a 
matter  of  course,  though  occasionally  we  have  an 
experience  with  a  little  newsboy  in  some  other  city 
which  opens  our  eyes  to  the  splendid  work  done  by 


AMUSEMENT  IX  TOLEDO,  OHIO  63 

Mr.   Gunckel  and  the   others  who  have  worked  so 
untiringly  in  the  Association. 

The  children's  branch  of  the  Art  Museum,  too, 

is    the   first   of   its   kind   in    America,   if   not   in    the 
world.      Children   alone   are  admitted  at   all   times, 
and  hundreds  of  plans  are  made  to  foster  among 
them    the    "Art    Museum    Habit."      The    concerts, 
movies,   art  talks  and   story  hours  are  all  planned 
with  this  end  in  view,  and  this  year  was  carried  on 
2  course  in  nature  study  rambles  which  afforded  one 
of  the  most  profitable  and  enjoyable  types  of  recrea- 
tion that  could  be  imagined.     The  number  of  chil- 
dren now  taking  advantage  of  this  opportunity  is 
about  as  large  as  the  Museum  staff  can  well  care 
for,  but  if  it  were  brought  to  the  notice  of  all  our 
children,  it  might  bring  about  such  overflow  meet- 
ings that  some  of  our  public  spirited  citizens  would 
be  "moved"  to  see  that  the  much-needed  addition  to 
the  Museum  be  completed  very  soon. 

Our  ultimate  aim  is  to  have  opened  so  many 
other  forms  of  recreation  that  no  child  will  be  de- 
nied this  right  to  wholesome  pleasure.  These  may 
be  administered  by  the  city  directly,  or  by  the  ma- 
chinery of  our  public  schools,  or  even  by  private 
enterprise,  when  proper  recreation  is  recognized  as 
a  necessary  part  of  all-'round  education,  and  one  of 
the  most  powerful  agencies  operating  to  produce  a 
"healthy  and  efficient  manhood  and  womanhood." 
—Toledo  Teacher.  February.  1918. 


64      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

B.     CENSORSHIP 


1.    The  Ohio  Board  of  Censorship 

The  Department  of  Film  Censorship 
°  is  under  the  direction  of  the  Industrial 

^  Commission  of  Ohio,  with  headquar- 
ters at  233  South  High  Street,  Columbus,  Ohio. 
The  personnel  of  this  Board  of  Film  Censors  (1917) 
consisted  of  the  following  persons  :  Charles  G.  Wil- 
liams, Chairman,  Maude  Murray  Miller,  W.  R.  Wil- 
son. The  work  of  the  Board  is  given  for  the  two 
years  (1917-18) — the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30: 

1917 

Number 

Reels  Censored   29,007 

Elimination  of  Objectionable.  .  .  7,918 
Rejection  of  Reels  in  Entirety.  .  291 
Approved  without  Elimination.  .20,798 

1918 

Number 

Reels  Censored  26,905 

Elimination  of  Objectionable...  4,295 
Rejection  of  Reels  in  Entirety.  .  138 
Approved  without  Elimination.  .22,472 

The  reader's  attention  is  called  to  the  "Laws 
Regulating  the  Censorship  and  Exhibition  of  Mo- 
tion Pictures  in  Ohio,  as  Amended  and  Effective 
August  27,  1915."  (See  Exhibit  II.)  In  this  con- 
nection, it  will  also  be  necessary  to  represent  some 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  65 

of  the  ideals  and  difficulties  of  this  Board.     (See  Ex- 
hibit III.) 

The  historical  studv  of  ethics  has 

The  "Happy  .    ,  "*     *         i 

rrj      revealed    some    extremely   ingenious 
Medium '  .  1    Al  . 

interpretations  In  the  past.  An  inter- 
esting case  is  here  given.  The  investigator  wrote 
to  Mr.  Williams,  the  Chairman  of  the  Ohio  Board, 
regarding  the  portrayal  of  vampire  life  and  exhibi- 
tion of  nude  figures.  No  personal  criticism  of  Mr. 
Williams  is  here  intended,  as  he  evidently  is  an 
idealist  in  his  work.  The  answer  given  is  simply  a 
statement  01  the  general  policy  adopted  by  the 
Board  in  passing  pictures.  The  answer  is  under 
date  of  December  3,  1918,  and  is  as  follows: 

"Replying  to  your  inquiry  relative  to  vampires  and 
nude  figures,  I  beg  to  advise  that  what  is,  and  what  is 
not  a  harmful  picture  under  the  law,  must  necessarily 
depend  upon  the  viewpoint  of  the  persons  composing 
the  Board, — exercising  their  best  judgment  and  discre- 
tion in  view  of  all  the  circumstances.  Of  course  in  judg- 
ing for  the  entire  citizenship  of  the  State,  there  must 
be  more  or  less  consideration  given  to  the  general  view- 
point of  all  interested  citizens  which  usually  results  in 
the  orders  of  the  Board  not  being  as  severe  many  times 
as  the  interested  citizens  not  having  the  responsibility 
would  go,  yet  much  further  than  those  owning  and  ex- 
hibiting the  pictures  would  desire  the  Board  to  go;  or, 
in  other  words,  a  Happy  Medium  between  the  two  ex- 
tremes is  reached." 

It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  the  work  of  the 
Board  of  Censorship  is  one  cencerned,  primarily, 
with  the  computation  on  a  purely  mathematical 
basis,  the  kind  of  pictures  desired,  rather  than  on  a 


66      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

strictly  scientific  and  moral  basis,  the  kind  of  pic- 
ture the  State  should  allow  the  people  to  view. 
Instead  of  functioning  as  a  State  Board  of  Control, 
Supervision  and  Censorship,  is  there  not  danger  of 
the  office  degenerating  into  a  mere  clearing-house 
of  picture  producers  on  the  one  side,  and,  on  the 
other,  the  insipid  vaporings  of  crank  reformers? 
The  "happy  medium"  method  is  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous in  attempting  to  compute  on  a  purely  sta- 
tistical basis,  the  relative  importance  of  all  the  fac- 
tors involved  in  our  social  problems.  Its  fallacy  is 
too  often  seen  in  the  neglect  to  observe  the  educa- 
tional and  social  features  of  the  question  at  point. 
The  work  of  the  Board,  however,  combines  many 
commendable  features. 

Another  question  was  asked :   "Is  it  true 

Use  of 

that  the  motion  picture  industry  uses  money 

y     in  its  opposition  to  censorship?"    Mr.  Wil- 
liams replied: 

"Permit  me  to  say  that  in  the  past,  the  industry  has 
ever  waged  a  campaign  of  publicity  in  its  opposition  to 
censorship.  Of  course,  money  necessarily  woul-d  be  used 
in  this  connection.  However,  I  do  not  mean  to  intimate 
that    they   have  used  money   illegally." 

An  intelligent  reader  can  readily  discern  the 
possible  danger,  the  lavish  expenditure  of  money 
would  have  in  moulding  the  public  mind  thru  mag- 
azine articles  and  periodicals,  especially  as  many  of 
these  picture  producing  companies  are  highly  cap- 
italized, one  alone  for  twenty  millions  of  dollars. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  67 

II.  THE  NATIONAL  BOARD  OF  REVIEW  OF 

CENSORSHIP 

This  organization  is  an  attempt  to 
:  protect  the  film  industry.  There  is  no 
"  question  but  what  much  benefit  has 
been  accomplished  as  an  advisory  board.  It  has 
been  practically  powerless,  however,  to  compel  the 
manufacturers  either  to  submit  their  films  or  to  ob- 
serve their  suggestions.  The  Board  is  also  further 
handicapped  by  having  no  legal  status. 

_  ,         A  volunteer   band   of   censors   is   ap- 

Personnel  -,  .  n     .    .      c.  ,   * 

pointed  to  view  all  of  the  films  exhib- 
ited in  New  York  City,  and  to  make  recommenda- 
tions as  to  any  possible  change.  It  is  estimated  that 
the  Board  reviews  ninety  per  cent  of  all  of  the  dra- 
matic motion  pictures  exhibited  in  the  country! 
Each  reel  is  censored  before  circulated  and  copied 
from  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  times.  The 
criticism  is  effected  by  two  hundred  representative 
persons.  Few  reels  are  ever  totally  destroyed  and 
condemned.  A  General  Committee  serves  as  a  Final 
Board  of  Appeal.  This  committee  is  composed  of 
representatives  from  influential  organizations — such 
as  the  League  for  Political  Education,  the  Federa- 
tion for  Child  Study,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the  Y.  W. 
C.  A.,  the  Federal  Council  of  Churches  of  Christ, 
the  People's  Institute,  Prison  Association,  and  oth- 
ers. 

.,,     .  ,    ~   ..     .  The  Board  sends  weekly  Bulle- 

Weekly  Bulletin     ..  .,  ..         fr 

tins,  without  cost,  to  police  offi- 
cials in  every  city,  and  professes  willingness  to  ad- 


68      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

vise  communities  as  to  the  plot  and  character  of  any 
picture  to  be  presented  in  a  city. 

A  year  ago  the  National  Board 
n  on  e  agreed  not  to  pass  any  pictures  in 
which  the  female  nude  was  displayed. 
A  few  weeks  previous,  it  decided  not  to  pass  any 
picture  film  concerned  wholly  with  the  commercial- 
ized theme  of  "white  slavery."  An  analysis  of  sev- 
eral pictures  exhibited  in  Toledo  the  past  three  years 
shows  that,  although  the  announcement  APPEARS 
to  put  the  ban  on  every  possible  representation  of 
the  female  nude,  in  reality,  the  Board  intends  to  pro- 
hibit only  the  living  nude,  and  that  introduction  of 
ANY  WORKS  OF  ART  is  not  excluded.  Such  in- 
genius  interpretations  fail  to  explain  the  apparent 
ease  with  which  the  Kellerman,  Salome  and  Cleo- 
patra exhibitions  are  able  to  pass  so  dignified  a  body 
of  censors  as  the  above  list  would  suggest.15 

The  National  Board,  in  defining 

Principles  and    ,,  e       ,         •  . 

r  the  reason  for  its  existence,  is  ex- 

Standards  . 

tremely    anxious     to    impress    upon 

the   people   that  they  "desire  to  perform   a   public 

service/'     Among  other  virtues,  they  claim  to  be 

"concerned  with  the  effect  achieved  in  a  picture, — 

the  impression  on  the  audience, — rather  than  the 

purpose  which  actuated  the  producer."     In  a  pam- 

15It  is  possible  that  these  pictures  do  not  get  to  the 
Final  Board  of  Appeal  at  all,  and  that  if  they  do,  some- 
thing "happens"  between  the  censorship  and  the  actual 
time  of  their  release. 

As  a  further  proof  of  its  inadequacy,  the  local  board 
of  Censors  of  Chicago,  condemned  "thousands  of  feet 
of  films  after  they  had  been  passed  by  the  National 
Board  of  Censors," 


AMUSEMENT  IN   TOLEDO,  OHIO  69 

phlet,  which  defines  their  standards  and  policies, 
there  are  at  least  twenty-five  restrictions  in  regard 
to  objectionable  features.     They  are  as  follows: 

Immoral  farces  Nudity 

Burlesque  and  Satires  Arson 

Struggle   and   deeds    of  Brutality  and  violence 

violence  Suicide 

Senseless  use  of  weapons  Murder  and  death 

Treatment  of  officers  Exploitation  of  notorious 
Respect  for  law  characters 

Advisability  of  punish-  Insanity 

ment  for  crime  Bar-room  scenes 

Crime    and     its    subtle  Drinking  and  drunkenness 

methods  Women     smoking    and 
Vulgarity  drinking 

Prolonged    passionate  Scenes  of  the  underworld 

love  scenes  Picturing  of  opium-joints 

Betrayal  of  innocence  Gambling 

Effect  of  costumes  Suggestive  dancing 

Infidelity  and  sex  prob-  Vulgar  flirtations 

lems  The  social  evil 

Questionable  resorts  gfgfi  \   |  rT:-7v  j 

This  is  surely  a  vast  array  of  meritorious  ideals. 
What  makes  the  problem  the  more  perplexing  is 
that  this  Board  takes  credit  to  itself  of  passing  judg- 
ment upon  ninety  per  cent  of  all  the  dramas  dis- 
played. The  evident  discrepancy  as  witnessed  in 
the  visitation  of  the  average  picture  show  is  so  pal- 
pable as  to  need  no  comment.  Evidently  there  is 
a  leakage  somewhere.     This  unquestionably  makes 


70       MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

the  argument  for  the  creation  of  a  Federal  Board  of 
Censors  all  the  more  necessary.16 

The  motion  picture  industry  has 
upposi  ion  o  £rom  jts  mception,  opposed  the  prin- 
Censorship        dpk  q{  censorsnip>     It  ciaims  that 

censorship  is  un-American  and  so  repudiates  any 
attempt,  however  altruistic,  to  regulate  their  busi- 
ness. A  few  years  ago,  the  Motion  Picture  Board 
of  Trade,  a  powerful  financial  organization,  came 
into  existence,  with  the  sole  purpose  of  opposing 
legalized  censorship.  They  contend  that  as  thoughts 
are  conveyed  by  means  of  pictures,  the  movies, 
quite  like  the  press  of  the  country,  should  be  pro- 
tected by  the  Federal  Constitution.  A  notable 
case  (The  Mutual  Film  Corporation  vs.  The  Indus- 
trial Commission  of  Ohio)  was  decided  against 
them.  The  Court  made  it  very  clear  that  there  is 
a  marked  distinction  between  the  function  and  pur- 
pose of  the  movies  and  that  of  the  press.  Motion 
pictures,  therefore,  may  properly  be  censored  within 
any  State  by  the  proper  officials,  and  without  vio- 
lating any  of  the  tenets  of  the  Federal  Constitution. 

^..        ,  The  National  Board  has  also  affiliated 

Films  for  „  „.,       r  _„       ,    „  „, 

-,.,,        ,  for  Better  Films  for  Young  People.     Ihe 
Child  ana  „    ,  .     ^  .     . 

p         t  purpose  of  this  Commission   is  to  serve 

with   itself   the   "National    Commission 
suitable  films  to  the  children  and  parents.    This  lat- 

16Several  local  managers  do  not  take  the  work  of  the 
Board  very  seriously,  they  claim  that  the  organization  is 
an  'old  maid's  creation,  and  that  in  reality,  most  any- 
thing can  get  by.'  One  manager  made  it  very  emphatic, 
'that  some  of  "the  'shadiest'  pictures  had  the  National 
stamp   upon   them/ 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  71 

ter  Commission  has  also  organized  an  "Official  Com- 
mission for  Better  Films,"  the  purpose  of  which  is 
to  inform  local  groups  in  the  details  of  business  and 
methods  found  successful  in  securing  better  films. 

_  .  ,  In  a  communication  to  Secretary 

"Laws  Seldom     ~     ,       /T^  ,         t1      1rM  0.       , 

_    .         ,„  Cocks    (December    ll,    1918),    the 

Enforced  . .  .     ,     .  A        , 

question  was  asked :     Are  the  laws 

regarding  the  attendance  of  unchaperoned  children 
at  picture  exhibitions  enforced?"  Mr.  Cocks  re- 
plied: "They  are  seldom  enforced,  due  unquestion- 
ably to  the  indifference  or  opposition  of  parents." 
He  also  stated:  "Your  State  Board  of  Censors  han- 
dles all  questions  of  regulation  and  passing  of  pic- 
tures for  Ohio.  We  have  no  jurisdiction  within 
your  borders." 

3.    LOCAL  CENSORSHIP 

Two  worthy  attempts  have  been  made  at  local 
censorship — the  one,  by  the  Museum  of  Art,  which 
is  still  operative,— the  other,  by  the  Civic  Commit- 
tee of  the  Toledo  Teachers'  Association,  at  present 
inoperative. 

The  Museum  of  Art  has  grasped  from 
Museum      .  .      .      .         ,         .         .       ,     . 

the  very  beginning  the  educational  sig- 
nificance of  properly  selected  films  for 
young  and  impressionable  children.  That  such  work 
is  appreciated  may  be  seen  by  the  attendance  of 
1,500  children  and  parents  on  Saturday  and  Sunday 
of  each  week.  The  work  has  been  conducted  for 
several  years,  and  it  is  with  regret  that  the  society 
is  limited  to  a  meagre  expenditure  of  but  five  hun- 
dred dollars  a  year.     Here  is  an  opportunity  for  an 


72      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

endowment  with  the  privilege  of  social  democracy 
for  Toledo's  children. 

In  December  and  January  (1916-17) 
Teachers'  a  dvic  committee  0{  the  Toledo 
Association  Teachers>  Association  made  an  at- 
tempt to  present  censored  films  to  the  children.  The 
Newsboys'  Association  Building,  in  which  the  pic- 
tures were  exhibited,  was  greatly  patronized  on  the 
six  different  occasions  given.  The  task  of  making 
arrangements  for  the  use  of  the  building,  the  hire 
and  selection  of  the  proper  nllms,  and  many  other 
details,  were  too  much  to  expect  of  busily  employed 
teachers.  The  great  war  also  made  additional  de- 
mands on  their  services,  consequently  this  valuable 
social,  recreational  and  educational  work  had  to  be 
postponed.  Miss  Cunningham  and  Miss  Jessica 
Marshall,  who  were  largely  responsible  for  this  ef- 
fort, are  surely  worthy  of  community  recognition 
for  their  pioneer  labors. 

It  is  earnestly  desired  that  a  public 

The  Real 

place  be  secured  which  may  serve  as  a 

Need  Children's  Theatre.     This  may  properly 

come  under  the  control  of  the  Board  of  Education. 
If  it  is  true  that  the  youth  must  have  pictures  in  his 
leisure  time  (and  we  know  of  no  argument  why  he 
should  not),  then,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  moral  and 
educational  forces  of  the  city  to  provide  a  type  of 
picture  that  will  aid  a  nation's  program  in  the  de- 
velopment of  Civic  Democracy  among  the  children. 
It  is  surely  poor  policy  to  allow  in  the  "adolescent" 
period  of  life  and  stage  of  hero-worship,  the  depict- 
ing of  such  types   of  "heroes"   as  the   gentleman 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  73 

burglar,  the  expert  safe-blower,  the  daring  train- 
robber  and  the  reckless  scout.  More  subtle  and  in- 
sidious even  than  the  openly  immoral  and  obscene 
acts,  are  the  thinly  veiled  allusions,  the  salacious 
jokes  and  the  loose  physical  contortions  in  many  of 
these  popular  playhouses.  We  cannot  sow  tares  and 
raise  wheat.  Our  clear  duty — a  community  duty — 
is  to  see  that  nothing  that  debases  the  intellect, 
blunts  the  moral  sensibilities  with  its  appeal  to  the 
baser  passions,  is  allowed  to  be  presented  to  em- 
bryonic citizens.  Perhaps  we  have  been  too  busy 
exploiting  the  soil  and  our  fellows  to  give  serious 
thought  to  the  social  possibilities  of  supervised  rec- 
reation. In  this  work,  "the  harvest  is  great,"  at 
least  in  possibilities,  "but  the  laborers  are  few,"  in 
vital  and  constructive  social  service. 

4.    AGENCIES  INTERESTED  IN  THE 
EDUCATIONAL  FILM 

This  information  was  secured  from  a  pamphlet 
entitled  "Teaching  Citizenship  by  the  Movies,"  by 
Ira  Clement,  and  printed  by  Municipal  Reference 
Library,  City  of  New  York.    The  data  follows: 

4 

Agencies  Interested  in  the  Educational  Film 

The  National  Board  of  Review  of  Motion  Pic- 
tures is  an  organization  of  volunteer  workers  with 
main  offices  at  70  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City.  It 
is  in  no  way  interested  in  the  financial  side  of  the 
industry.  Among  its  many  activities  the  Board  acts 
as  a  clearing  house  in  referring  citizens  throughout 


74      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

the  country  to  the  sources  from  which  films  of  all 
classes  can  be  secured.  Emphasis  is  placed  upon  the 
creation  of  a  better  type  of  film  rather  than  upon 
censorship  of  the  films  produced.  Special  lists  on 
vraious  subjects  are  prepared  and  selected  lists  of 
pictures  are  sent  to  periodicals,  libraries,  community 
centers  and  churches.  "A  Garden  of  Motion  Pic- 
tures" is  a  selected  list  published  quarterly.  The 
Board  also  cooperates  with  departments  of  the  Gov- 
ernment in  solving  problems  in  connection  with 
motion  pictures  and  the  war. 

The  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics,  900 
Southern  Building,  Washington,  D.  C.,  co-operates 
with  schools  and  public  officials  throughout  the 
country.  "The  Bureau  is  an  association  of  the  gov- 
ernments, institutions,  manufacturers,  producers, 
transportation  lines  and  individuals  of  the  United 
States  and  foreign  countries,  to  engage  in  dissem- 
inating geographical,  commercial,  industrial,  voca- 
tional welfare  and  public  health  information  by  the 
graphic  method  of  motography".  .  .  The  require- 
ments are :  payment  of  transportation  charges,  use 
of  standard  motion  picture  projectors  by  competent 
operators,  reports  of  films  used  and  attendance  after 
each  performance,  immediate  return  of  films  used, 
no  admission  fee  to  be  charged. 

The  Exhibitors'  Booking  Agency,  220  West 
42nd  Street,  New  York  City,  was  organized  over 
ten  years  ago  by  Mrs.  Katherine  F.  Carter,  who  was 
formerly  actively  engaged  in  educational  work  and 
is  very  enthusiastic  over  the  motion  picture  as  a 
means  of  instruction.    This  agency  produces  some 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  75 

pictures,  supplies  films  made  by  other  manufactur- 
ers, writes  scenarios  and  selects  programs  if  desired. 

The  Community  Motion  Picture  Bureau,  46 
West  24th  Street,  New  York  City,  is  composed  of  a 
group  of  specialists  who  not  only  rent  films  but  un- 
dertake to  select  programs  suitable  for  various  oc- 
casions or  groups  of  people.  Social  welfare  prob- 
lems receive  a  large  share  of  their  attention,  though 
at  present  their  time  is  largely  devoted  to  war  work. 

The  Department  of  Surveys  and  Exhibits  of  the 
Russell  Sage  Foundation  has  collected  data  concern- 
ing films  of  a  civic  nature  and  has  advised  inquiries 
from  all  over  the  country  as  to  types  and  sources  of 
motion  picture  films  suitable  for  special  campaigns. 

The  Industrial  Department  of  The  International 
Committee  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  has  considerable  ma- 
terial on  the  educational  and  industrial  film. 

The  Moving  Picture  World,  516  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York  City,  has  for  some  time  published  a  "List 
of  Educational  and  Selected  Films"  compiled  by 
Miss  Margaret  McDonald. 

In  some  states  the  Extension  Department  of  the 
State  University  or  Agricultural  College  is  glad  to 
co-operate  with  the  cities  of  the  state.  This  is  true 
in  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Massachusetts,  California,  Kan- 
sas, Oregon,  and  probably  in  other  states  that  have 
not  replied  to  the  request  for  information  on  this 
subject.  Oklahoma  is  planning  such  co-operation 
in  the  future.  Mr.  E.  G.  Routzahn,  associate  di- 
rector of  the  Department  of  Surveys  and  Exhibits, 
Russell  Sage  Foundation,  thinks  this  method  one 
of  the  most  feasible  plans  for  furthering  such  activ- 


76      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

ities  in  smaller  communities.  Other  state  depart- 
ments also  frequently  have  films  to  be  circulated 
within  the  state. 

Subject  List  of  Civic  Motion  Pictures 

The  following  list  contains  all  civic  motion  pic- 
tures which  have  been  reported  to  the  Municipal 
Reference  Library  as  available  at  the  present  date 
for  use  by  civic  institutions  or  municipalities.  The 
list  does  not  pretend  to  absolute  completeness,  nor 
is  it  on  the  other  hand  to  be  considered  in  any  sense 
as  a  selected  list.  The  Library  has  endeavored  to 
include  every  film  which  could  be  classed  as  civic, 
but  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  decide  upon  the  line 
of  demarcation.  In  each  case  the  title  of  the  film  is 
given  first,  the  source  from  which  it  can  be  obtained 
second,  and  cost  of  rental  third.  Addresses  of  firms 
have  been  given  in  the  first  entry  only. 

AMERICANIZATION 


An  asterisk   (*)   after   title  indicates  films  in  preparation, 
probably  to  be  released  during  the  present  summer  (1918) 

An  American  in  the  Making.  Obtainable  from 
the  National  Association  of  Manufacturers,  30 
Church  Street,  New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental: 
transportation  charges  only. 

This  is  the  story  of  a  Hungarian  peasant,  who  came 
to  this  country  and  joined  his  brother  at  the  U.  S.  Steel 
Company's  plant  in  Gary,  Indiana.  The  technical  train- 
ing and  welfare  work  offered  by  the  company  gave 
him   every  opportunity   to   advance. 

Foundation  of  Citizenship.  Obtainable  from 
the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics,  900  Southern 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  7? 

Building,  Washington,  D.  C.  Cost  of  rental :  trans- 
portation charges  only. 

Teaching  English  to  Foreigners.  Obtainable 
from  the  International  Committee  of  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  Industrial  Department,  347 
Madison  Avenue,  New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental: 
transportation  charges  only. 

The  Immigrant — To  be  released,  probably  not 
before  Sept.  1,  1918,  by  the  Division  of  Films,  Com- 
mittee on  Public  Information,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Cost  of  rental:  no  information  received. 

CHILD  WELFARE 

Better  Babies.  Obtainable  from  the  Bray  Stu- 
dios, 23  East  26th  Street,  New  York  City.  Cost  of 
rental,  $5.00  per  reel; 

The  Error  of  Omission.  Obtainable  from  the 
Beseler  Educational  Film  Co.,  71  West  23rd  Street, 
New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental :  $2.00  per  perform- 
ance. 

Tommy)  Lawton  is  born  into  the  world,  and  his 
father,  one  of  the  common  type  of  careless  parents,  in 
the  flurry  resulting  from  having  a  young  bull  pup  sent 
him  from  a  friend,  neglects  to  register  Tommy's  birth 
certificate.  Tommy  grows  up  and  encounters  numerous 
difficulties  because  of  his  birth  never  having  been  regis- 
tered. Finally  he  almost  loses  a  fortune  until  he  happens 
to  discover  his  father's  old  dog-registration  paper,  on  the 
back  of  which  is  carelessly  written  "Also  became  the 
father  of  a   fine,  bouncing  boy  on  this  date." 

Public  and  Private  Care  of  Infants.    Obtainable 

from  the  Beseler  Educational    Film   Co.      Cost    of 

rental :    $2.00  per  performance. 

This  film  deals  with  the  problem  of  the  mother  who 
has  to  neglect  her  child  in  order  to   make  a  living.     The 


78      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

mother  in  this  picture  has  twins.  She  boards  one  with 
a  foster  mother,  but  the  other  she  is  obliged  to  send 
to   an   institution.     One  lives,   the   other   does   not. 

The    Eternal    Mother.      Obtainable    from    the 

Metro  Pictures  Corporation,  1476  Broadway,  New 

York  City.    Cost  of  rental :  $10.00  per  presentation. 

A  thrilling  child  labor  drama,  in  which  the  wife  of 
the  wealthy  mill  owner  is  for  a  time  separated  from  her 
husband,  because  of  his  treatment  of  the  children  in  the 
mill.  A  reconciliation  finally  comes  and  he  tells  of  the 
model  schoolhouses  and  improvements  that  he  has  made 
for  her  sake. 

The  Price  of  Silence.    Obtainable  from  the  Fox 

Film  Corporation,  130  West  46th  Street,  New  York 

City.     Cost  of  rental :  (  ?) 

A  thrilling,  romantic,  child  labor  drama  involving 
a  prominent  senator  who  has  always  fought  for  the 
cause.  To  save  the  name  of  a  -dead  friend  and  keep  his 
daughter's  heart  from  breaking,  he  votes  against  the 
child  labor  bill. 

At  the  Threshold  of  Life.  Obtainable  from  the 
Beseler  Educational  Film  Co.  Cost  of  rental :  $2.00 
per  performance. 

There  are  two  young  people  of  wealth  and  social 
position,  the  girl  with  an  unselfish  love  for  the  up- 
helped  little  ones  of  the  city,  and  the  young  man  intent 
upon  his  own  enjoyment  of  life  in  his  own  circle.  There 
are  scenes  showing  her  work  and  its  effect  upon  the 
little  ones  and  also  contrasting  lives  of  the  children 
who  have  no  kindergarten  and  who  must  play  in  a 
crowded  tenement  room  or  street.  One  little  lame 
child  is  unable  to  get  into  the  kindergarten  and  meets 
with  an  accident  in  the  street.  The  young  man  makes 
good  by  presenting  the  convalescent  child  with  a  check 
for  the  kindergarten. 

Uncle  Crusty.  Obtainable  from  the  National 
Kindergarten  Association,  8  West  40th  Street,  New 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  79 

York  City.     Cost  of  rental :    transportation  charges 
only. 

Edward  Van  Nesti  a  crabbed  bachelor,  has  a  brother 
William  who  is  a  widower  with  one  child,  Willie,  about 
four  years  old.  Willie's  father  lives  in  Antwerp.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  war  he  decides  to  send  Willie  to 
America  to  his  "Uncle  Crusty"  as  Edward  has  become 
known.  Willie's  love  fails  to  win  his  Uncle,  but  the  child 
meets  a  kindergarten  teacher  who  takes  him  to  school 
and  Willie  is  happy.  Crusty  locates  him  in  the  kinder- 
garten an-d  soon  is  writing  out  checks  for  the  kinder- 
garten. 

COMMERCE 

The  Commerce  of  Chicago.  Obtainable  from 
Lincoln  &  Parker  Co.,  71  West  23rd  Street,  New 
York  City.  Cost  of  rental : :  approximately  $2.00 
per  performance  and  transportation  charges. 

Lake  front  from  the  municipal  pier. — Chicago  River. 
Entrance  from  the  Lake. — Sailing  and  steam  vessels. — 
Types  of  drawbridges. — State  Street. — Transportation 
building. — Michigan  Avenue. — Panoramic  view  of  the 
stockyards. 

CRIME  AND  CRIMINALS 

For  the  Commonwealth.  Obtainable  from  the 
Beseler  Educational  Film  Co.  Cost  of  rental:  $2.00 
per  performance. 

A  young  man,  unskilled  and  out  of  work,  deserts  his 
family,  assaults  an  officer  and  is  sent  to  prison.  His 
wife  makes  shirts  to  support  herself  and  her  child.  The 
men  in  prision  are  taught  shirt-making.  Because  prison 
labor  is  cheap  the  young  man's  wife  is  put  out  of  busi- 
ness along  with  many  other  girl  shirt  makers  A  pro- 
test is  sent  in  to  the  Governor,  who  solves  the  problem 
by  teaching  the  men  shoe-making  and  using  the  products 
entirely  for  the  state.  The  young  man  leaver  prison  a 
skilled  laborer  and   there   is  a  reunion  of  the   family. 


80      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

The  Public  Defender.  Obtainable  from  the 
Modern  Feature  Photo  Plays,  Inc.,  729  Seventh  Ave- 
nue, New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental :  approximately 
$35.00  per  day. 

This  film  advocates  that  in  addition  to  public  prosecu- 
tors there  should  be  public  defenders.  It  is  a  five  part 
drama  in  which  a  "public  defender  bill"  becomes  a  law  and 
the  new  official  saves  an  innocent  man  from  the  electric 
chair. 

The  Honor  System.  Obtainable  from  Fox  Film 
Corporation.    Cost  of  rental :  ( ?) 

The  scene  is  laid  in  Arizona  and  describes  old  and 
new  methods  of  prison  regulations.  The  descriptions 
of  the  old  methods  seem  to  be  somewhat  overdrawn. 

EDUCATION 

Fitting  the  Boy  to  the  Job.  Obtainable  from  the 
Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only. 

The  Man  He  Might  Have  Been.  Obtainable 
from  the  National  Association  of  Manufacturers. 
Cost  of  rental ;  transportation  charges  only. 

The  film  tells  the  story  of  a  boy  with  ambition  for 
knowledge.  In  spite  of  protests  of  the  school  principal, 
who  offers  him  an  opening  by  which  he  can  work  in  the 
day  and  attend  school  at  night,  the  father  forces  him 
into  the  most  ordinary  drudgery.  He  becomes  dis- 
couraged, goes  the  wrong  way,  and  finally  marries  most 
unhappily. 

New  York  City.    Civic  Administration  (Part  ?). 

Obtainable  from  the  Beseler  Educational  Film  Co. 

Cost  of  rental :   $2.00  per  performance. 

Unique  exercises  in  East  Side  schools,  May  Day  and, 
Arbor   Day   festivals   in    Central   Park. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  81 

How  New  York  Does  It:  Department  of  Edu- 
cation. Obtainable  from  the  General  Film  Co.,  25 
West  44th  Street,  New  York  City.     Cost  of  rental : 

FIRE  PROTECTION  AND  PREVENTION 

A  Crime  of  Carelessness.     Obtainable  from  the 

National    Association    of    Manufacturers.      Cost    of 

rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

The  owner  of  a  large  woolen  mill  is  careless  about 
fire  exits  being  kept  clear.  The  inspector  fails  to  report 
it.  An  employee  breaks  the  rule  prohibiting  smoking 
and  carelessly  "throws  his  lighted  cigarette  into  a  pile  of 
rubbish.  The  mill  burns  and  a  panic  follows.  The  fac- 
tory is  rebuilt.  Tom  is  reinstated  and  both  employer 
and   employee    have   learned   a   lesson. 

Fire  Department,  Manila.  Obtainable  from  the 
Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only. 

Fireproofing  Children.  Obtainable  from  the  Ed- 
ucational Films  Corporation  of  America,  729  Sev- 
enth Avenue,  New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental :  $3.00 
per  reel  per  day  (105B). 

Much  loss  of  life  among  school  children  is  due  to 
playing  with  fire  in  yarious  forms.  The  film  shows  how 
children's  clothes  may  very  easily  and  economically  be 
made  fireproof  by  a  solution  easily  purchased  at  any 
drug    store. 

Mayors  Organize  to  Prevent  Great  Fire  Losses. 

(Univ.   Current  Events  44.)      Obtainable   from   the 

Universal  Film  Corporation,  1600  Broadway,  New 

York  City.    Cost  of  rental :  $3.00  per  day. 

Carelc^nc-s  and  lack  of  prevention  methods  are 
largely  blamed  for  more  than  $200,000,000  property  loss 
in   the   U.   S.   during   1917.     Mayor   Hylan,  of  New  York, 


82      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

a  leader  in  the  movement,  advocating  proper  means  of 
prevention. — Night  watchmen  should  be  equipped  for  all 
emergencies. — An  example  of  carelessness. — Slight  pres- 
sure will  sometimes  cause  oily  waste  to  smolder. — If  the 
watchman  is  prepared,  disaster  is  prevented. — "An  ounce 
of   prevention"   might   have   avoided   this. 

How  New  York  Does  It.  Fire  Department. 
Obtainable  from  the  General  Film  Company.  Cost 
of  rental:  (?) 

New  York  City.  Civic  Administration :  Part  3. 
Obtainable  from  the  Beseler  Educational  Film  Co. 
Cost  of  rental :  $2.00  per  performance. 

The  fire  fighters. — Drills. — The  rescue  squad  at  work. 
— Water  tower  practice,  etc. 

New  York  City.   Civic  Administration:  Part  4. 

Obtainable  from  the  Beseler  Educational  Film  Co. 

Cost  of  rental :  $2.00  per  performance. 

Fire  fighting. — The   fire  boats   in   operation. — A   river 
front  fire. 

The  Locked  Door.  Obtainable  from  the  Under- 
writers' Laboratories,  207  E.  Ohio  Street,  Chicago, 
111.     Cost  of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A   fire-prevention   film. 

GARDENING 

Insect  Friends  and  Enemies.    Obtainable  from 

the  Educational  Film  Corporation.     Cost  of  rental : 

$5.00  per  day. 

Some  of  the  garden  insects  are  enemies  of  men  and 
others  are  friends.  Professor  Ditmars  strikingly  pictures 
what  beautiful  creatures  are  metamorphosed  from  the 
garden  pests.  Next  some  remarkable  photography  shows 
the  insect  friends  of  the  farmers — tiny  legions  that  prey 
upon  the  destructive  forms.     In  the  day  of  almost  uni- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  83 

versal  war  garden,  it  is  highly  instructive,  as  well  as 
interesting,  to  see  the  various  friendly  or  hostile  types 
at  work. 

Enemies  of  the  Garden.  Obtainable  from  the 
Educational  Film  Corporation.  Cost  of  rental :  $5.00 
per  day. 

In  very  practical  fashion  Professor  Ditmars  exhibits 
different  types  of  insects  destructive  to  garden  plants, 
and  then  shows  easy  methods  of  dealing  with  them. 
Last  of  all  the  toad,  prize  fly-catcher  of  them  all,  is 
snapshotted  as  he  snaps  with  lightning  rapidity  at  a  worm 
in  his  path. 

Weeds,  What  They  Are,  and  How  to  Get  Rid 
of  Them.*  Obtainable  from  Lincoln  &  Parker  Co. 
Cost  of  rental:  approximately  $2.50  per  perform- 
ance. 

HEALTH  PROBLEMS 

Baby  Hygiene.*  Obtainable  from  Lincoln  & 
Parker  Co.     Cost  of  rental :  approximately  $2.50. 

Posture.*    Obtainable  from   Lincoln   &  Parker 

Co.   Cost  of  rental :  approximately  $2.50. 

Defects  in  posture  that  ruin  physical  and  mental 
health.     Their  remedies. 

Protecting  the  Eyesight.*  Obtainable  from 
Lincoln  &  Parker  Co.  Cost  of  rental:  approxim- 
ately $2.50. 

First  Aid*  Obtainable  from  Lincoln  &  Parker 
Co.     Cost  of  rental :  approximately  $2.50. 


84      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

,The  Sun  Cure.  Obtainable  from  Bray  Studios, 
23  West  26th  Street,  New  York  City.  Cost  of 
rental:  $2.50. 

How  a  city  brings   sunlight  to   the  poor. 

X-Ray  on  Teeth.  Obtainable  from  Bray  Stu- 
dios.    Cost  of  rental :  $2.50. 

Small  Pox  Vaccine,  Diphtheria  Antitoxin,  Ty- 
phoid Vaccine,  Etc.  Obtainable  from  the  H.  K. 
Mulford  Co.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Cost  of  rental: 
transportation  charges  only. 

See  also  Milk  Supply,  Sanitation,  Tuberculosis. 

MILK  SUPPLY 

The  Trump  Card.  Obtainable  from  the  New 
York  State  Department  of  Health,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Cost  of  rental:  transportation  charges  only.  (Not 
loaned  in  New  York  City.) 

Designed   to   show  the  danger  of  milk-borne  disease. 

Sanitary  Manufacture  of  Condensed  Milk. 
Obtainable  from  Borden's  Condensed  Milk  Co., 
108  Hudson  Street,  New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental: 
transportation  charges  only. 

Sanitary    Manufacture    of    Evaporated    Milk. 

Obtainable    from    Borden's    Condensed    Milk    Co., 
Cost  of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

Sanitary  Methods  in  the  Dairy.  Obtainable 
from  Borden's  Condensed  Milk  Co.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  85 

The  Man  Who  Learned.  Obtainable  from  the 
Educational  Films  Corporation  of  America.  Cost  of 
rental :  $3.00  per  reel  per  day. 

Milk   picture   depicting    insanitary   and   sanitary   con- 
ditions of  farming. 

Pure  Milk  Production."  Obtainable  from  Lin- 
coln &  Parker  Co.  Cost  of  rental:  approximately 
$2.50. 

Dangers  of  Unclean  Milk."  Obtainable  from 
Lincoln  &  Parker  Co.  Cost  of  rental  approximately 
$2.50. 

MUNICIPAL  GOVERNMENT 
The  Upheaval.    Obtainable  from  the  Metro  Pic- 
tures Corporation,     Cost  of  rental ;  $10.00  per  per- 
formance. 

On  Jim  Gordon,  a  serious  young  college  man,  falls 
the  mantle  of  his  father  who  has  been  the  leader  of  a 
corrupt  political  ring.  The  son  determines  to  be  true 
to  his  ideals  of  his  dead  mother,  but  everything  he 
does  is  misunderstood  and  he  is  accused  of  graft.  Fin- 
ally he  buys  the  new  traction  company  and  gives  it  to 
the  city  in  honor  of  his  dead  mother  and  to  atone  for 
the   wrongs  his   father  did   the  community. 

Note:  Other  films  on  this  subject  have  been  noted 
under  specific  headings.  See  Fire  Protection,  Education, 
Police,  and   Sanitation. 

POLICE 

The  World's  Greatest  Police  Training  School. 
Obtainable  trom  Bray  Studios,  23  West  26th  Street, 
New  York  City.    Cost  of  rental :  $2.50. 

New  York  City.  Civic  Administration:  Part  1. 
Obtainable  from  the  Beseler  Educational  Film  Co. 
Cost  of  rental :  $2.00  per  performance. 


86      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Annual  police  parade,  8^000  members  passing  jin 
review. — Street  Cleaning  Department. — Glimpse  of  Rik- 
er's  and  Barren  Islands,  where  the  city's  refuse  is  dis- 
posed of. 

New  York  City.    Civic  Administration:  Part  2. 

Obtainable  from  the  Beseler  Educational  Film  Co. 

Cost  of  rental :  $2.00  per  performance. 

First  is  seen  a  member  of  the  Traffic  Squad  at  23d 
Street  and  Broadway,  then  the  mounted  police. — Finally 
the   Harbor   Police  and  the  police  dogs. 

Ready  for  Anything  from  Air  Raids  to  Riots. 

Obtainable  from  the  Universal   Film    Corporation. 

(Univ.  Animated  Weekly  24.)    Cost  of  rental :  $3.00 

per  day. 

With  equipment  like  that  of  an  army  division,  the 
police  of  the  metropolis  pass  through  lanes  of  cheering 
thousands  in  annual  parade. — Mayor  Hylan,  the  first 
Mayor  of  New  York  to  lead  a  police  parade. — The  ma- 
chine gun  squad. — The  terror  of  the  speed  machine  — 
The  Aviation  Battallion  is  ready  to  defend  New  York  in 
the  air. — "City  Mothers":  the  Women  Police  Reserves. 
— Decorating   the   police   heroes. 

How  New  York  Does  It:  Police  Department. 
Obtainable  from  the  General  Film  Co.  Cost  of 
rental:  (?) 

Keep  Our  "Cops"  in  Trim.  (XJniv.  Screen  Mag. 
58.)  Obtainable  from  the  Universal  Film  Manu- 
facturing Co.    Cost  of  rental :  $3.00. 

"A  crook  ain't  got  a  fair  chance  in  New  York  now," 
wailed  a  pickpocket  the  other  day.  The  "cop"  who 
grabbed  him  was  a  physical  superman. — Dumb-bells  and 
punching  bag  helped  to  develop  him. — Ways  of  knocking 
out  a  beligerent  lawbreaker. — Watch  these  holds. — Un- 
less a  crook  is  an  athletic  marvel  he  hasn't  a  chance.— 
Trip  a  "gink"  if  you  can  get  a  chance. — The  boys  must 
learn  how  to  make  themselves  useful  at  a  fire. — Inspec- 
tion  before   the    day's   work   begins. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  87 

PUBLIC  UTILITIES 

Speeding  the  Spoken  Word.  Obtainable  from 
the  American  Telephone  and  Telegraph  Co.,  195 
Broadway,  New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental :  trans- 
portation charges  only. 

Filtering  a  Water  Supply.   Obtainable  from  the 

Lincoln  &  Parker  Film  Co.     Cost  of  rental :  $2.00 

per  reel  per  day. 

The  Ohio  River,  Cincinnati's  water  supply. — Sample 
of  unriltercd  Ohio  River  water. — Pumping  station. — Up- 
per reservoir  of  unfiltcred  water  from  the  river,  show- 
ing mud  deposits  on  reservoir  banks. — General  view  of 
filtration  plant. — Turbines  which  furnish  light  and  power 
for  nitration  plant. — Filter-house  and  basins. — Bottles 
of  sand  and  gravel,  showing  grades  used  in  filtering. — 
Cleaning  the  filter. — Mixing  chemicals  with  water  to  col- 
lect the  suspended  dirt.  Aeration;  lost  oxygen  is  replaced 
by  a  water-fall. — Filtered  water. — Notice  absence  of  dirt 
on  reservoir  walls — Chemist  testing  filtered  water. — 
Specimen  bottles  of  water  containing:  1,  raw  river  water; 
2,  settled  water  from  settling  basin;  3»  treated  water 
after  chemicals  have  been  introduced;  4,  pure  filtered 
water. 

The  Landloper.  Obtainable  from  the  Metro  Pic- 
tures Corporation,  1476  Broadway,  New  York  City, 
Cost  of  rental :  $10.00  per  exhibition. 

A  romance  in  which  the  hero  succeeds  in  defeating 
the  political  boss  in  his  purpose  to  renew  the  water  sup- 
ply franchise.  He  gains  for  the  town  a  clean  water 
supply  instead  of  typhoid. 

PUBLIC  WORKS 

The  Keokuk's  Dam.  Obtainable  from  the  Bu- 
reau of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only. 

Bridging  the  Stream.  Film  showing  bridge  con- 
struction.   Obtainable  from  the  Bureau  of  Commer- 


88      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

cial    Economics.      Cost    of    rental :    transportation 
portation  charges  only. 

RECREATION 

Camp  Fire  Girls.  Obtainable  from  the  Bureau 
of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of  rental :  trans- 
portatin  charges  only. 

At  Home  in  the  Water.  Obtainable  from  the 
Beseler'  Educational  Film  Co.  Cost  of  rental :  $2.00 
per  performance. 

A  demonstration  by   one  of  the  world's   greatest  ex- 
ponents  of  swimming,   M.   G.    H.    Corsan.     Also   some   of 
the  feats  of  two  of  his  most  advanced  pupils. 

Life  Saving  and  Swimming.  Obtainable  from 
the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

Recreation  Activities  in  Pittsburgh.  Obtain- 
able from  the  Superintendent,  Bureau  of  Recreation, 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.  Cost  of  rental :  transprtation 
charges  only. 

Opening  of  Playgrounds.  Obtainable  from  New 
York  City,  Park  Department,  Bureau  of  Recreation. 
Cost  of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

Things  You  Should  Know — Swimming.  Ob- 
tainable from  Bray  Studios.     Cost  of  rental :  $2.50. 

How  a  submarine  -dives  and  rises.     Practical  lessons 
in   swimming  demonstrated  by   George   Corsan. 

Pageant  of  Manhattan  and  May  Day  Exercises 

(Central  Park),  New  York  City.     Obtainable  from 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  89 

New  York  City,  Park  Department,  Bureau  of  Rec- 
reation. Cost  of  rental :  transportation  charges 
only. 

ROADS  AND  PAVEMENTS 

Wayne  County,  Mich.,  Roads.  (2  reels.)  Ob- 
tainable from  the  Portland  Cement  Association,  111 
West  Washington  Street,  Chicago,  111.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

Camp  Dodge,  Iowa,  Roads.  (2  reels.)  Obtain- 
able from  the  Portland  Cement  Association.  Cost 
of  rental :  transprtation  charges  only. 

Easton-Allentown,  Pa.,  Roads.  Obtainable  from 
the  Portland  Cement  Association.  Cost  of  rental: 
transportation  charges  only. 

Mason  City,  Clear  Lake,  Iowa.  Obtainable  from 
the  Portland  Cement  Association.  Cost  of  rental: 
transportation  charges  only. 

Digging  and  Refining  of  Asphalt  from  the  Na- 
tive Lakes  in  Trinidad  and  Venezuela.  Obtainable 
from  the  Barber  Asphalt  Paving  Co.,  Land  Title 
Building,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Cost  of  rental :  trans- 
portation charges  only. 

Construction  of  Pavements  in  Which  Asphalt 
is  Used:  (1)  Mixing  Method  (2)  Penetration 
Method.  Obtainable  from  the  Barber  Asphalt  Pav- 
ing Co.    Cost  of  rental:  transportation  charges. 

From  Log  to  Lumber.  Produced  for  the  South- 
ern  Pine  Association.     Obtainable  from  the  Inter- 


90      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

national  Commir%e  of  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociations, Industrial  Department.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only.  ' 

Includes   description  of  wood  block   pavement. 

SAFETY 

The  High  Cost  of  Hurry.  Obtainable  from  the 
Exhibitors'  Booking  Agency,  220  West  42d  Street, 
New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental :  $10.00  per  perform- 
ance, or  $50.00  per  week. 

This  is  a  safety-first  film  dealing  with  street  acci- 
dents, etc.  (Made  for  the  New  Jersey  Public  Service 
Corporation,   Newark,   N.  J.) 

An  Unbeliever  Convinced.  Obtainable  from  the 
Underwriters'  Laboratories.  Cost  of  rental :  trans- 
portation charges  only. 

The  picture  is  a  comprehensive,  convincing  sermon 
on  fire  protection.  The  hazard  of  poor  housekeeping 
is  portrayed;  the  crime  of  depending  on  a  single  wooden 
stairway  as  the  only  means  of  egress  from  upper  floors 
is  illustrated;  the  -danger  of  smoking  in  an  industrial 
plant  is  emphasized;  the  probable  consequence  of  hang- 
ing work-room  doors  to  open  inward  are  pictured;  the 
importance  of  cooperation  with  institutions,  organiza- 
tions, and  officials  engaged  in  safety  work  is  shown  in 
ways   that   are   impressive   and   convincing. 

The  Workman's  Lesson.  Obtainable  from  the 
National  Association  of  Manufacturers.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  young  Italian  secures  a  position  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Wenzel.  He  is  interested  in  the  safety  device 
that  covers  the  chuck,  but  Wenzel  views  it  with  con- 
tempt. The  young  man,  Bokko,  influenced  by  Wenzel, 
leaves  the  safety  device  open  and  an  accident  follows. 
Upon  Bokko's  return  from  the  hospital,  Wenzel  sees  his 
empty  sleeve  hanging  and  breaks  down.  The  arm  proves 
to  be  almost  well.  There  is  a  romance  running  through 
the    story    between    Bokko   and    Wenzel's    daughter. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  91 

Safety   First.     Obtainable   from   the   Universal 

Film    Company    (Screen    Mag.    No.   43).      Cost   of 

rental :  about  $2.00  per  evening. 

Secretary  of  State  Francis  Hugo,  head  of  the 
world's  largest  motor  vehicle  bureau.  Viewing  Fifth 
Avenue's  never-ending  procession  of  cars.  There  arc 
75,000  chauffeurs  in  New  York,  sixty  per  cent  of  whom 
are  foreigners.  In  order  to  secure  a  license  in  New  York 
State,  a  driver  must  pass  a  road  test  and  a  written 
examination.  Some  of  New  York's  large  department 
stores  employ  a  small  army  of  drivers.  They  are  given 
a  "Safety  First"  talk  each  week.  Many  women  are 
qualifying  as  professional  drivers,  with  a  view  to  serv- 
ing their  country  as  ambulance  drivers.  They  take  the 
road  test.  The  result  of  taking  a  corner  at  reckless 
speed.  The  greatest  menace  of  the  automobile  public  is 
the  driver  who  boozes.  Isn't  it  better  to  stop,  look  and 
listen   than    to   be   the   victim   of  a   deplorable   accident? 

Careless  Amerrca.  Obtainable  from  the  Uni- 
versal Film  Manufacturing  Co.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only. 

A  national  "safety  first''  warning,  thrillingly  presented 
in  motion  pictures,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Secretaries 
of  State  and  the  Police  Departments  of  America.  A 
spectacular  film  which,  by  its  teachings,  will  help  every 
citizen  to  do  his  patriotic  duty  and  conserve  human 
life,  which  at  the  present  moment  fs  America's  most  vital 
asset. 

Dangers  from  Explosives.    Obtainable  from  the 

Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.     Cost  of  rental : 

transportation  charges  only. 

The  Making  of  a  Convert.  Obtainable  from  the 
National  Safety  Council,  Continental  and  Commer- 
cial Bank  Building,  Chicago,  111.,  through  members 
of  the  Council.    Cost  of  rental:  $1.25  per  day. 

"A  motorman,  prejudiced  against  the  principles  of 
Safety-first,  refuses  to  obey  any  of  the  precautions  of  the 
company.  Finally  he  attends  several  safety  meetings 
and  becomes  a  convert  and  booster  for  the  cause." 


92      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

The  House  that  Jack  Built.  Obtainable  from 
the  National  Safety  Council,  Chicago,  111.,  through 
members  of  the  Council.    Cost  of  rental :  ( ?) 

"This  film  teaches  a  strong  lesson  in  carefulness  to 
railroad  men.  There  is  nothing  that  appeals  to  the  aver- 
age man  or  woman  so  strongly  as  do  the  comfort  and 
happiness  of  an  ideal  home.  This  is  the  basis  upon 
which  this  photoplay  is  written.  It  tells  a  story,  full 
of  absorbing  human  interest  and  incidentally  depicts  in 
a  most  effective  and  realistic  manner  many  unsafe  prac- 
tices that  are  daily  followed  by  railroad  men.  It  points 
out  in  a  manner  more  lasting  than  writen  or  verbal  ad- 
monitions the  far-reaching  and  unhappy  results  of  care- 
lessness." 

Steve  Hill's  Awakening.  Obtainable  from  the 
National  Safety  Council,  Chicago,  111,  through  mem- 
bers of  the  Council.    Cost  of  rental :  (  ?) 

"Joe  worked  in  a  factory  near  a  railroad  and  his 
home  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  tracks.  He  didn't 
believe  in  safety — laughed  at  it — and  never  looked  both 
ways  before  taking  a  short-cut  across  the  lines.  He  did 
it  once  too  often.  They  couldn't  save  his  life  at  the 
hospital  and  the  shock  was  too  much  for  the  wife — she 
lost  her  reason." 

The  Rule  of  Reason.  Obtainable  from  the  Na- 
tional Safety  Council,  Chicago,  111.,  through  mem- 
bers of  the  Council.    Cost  of  rental :  (  ?) 

"This  picture  is  full  of  thrills  and  pathos  and  'drives 
home  a  powerful  safety  lesson.  It  is  applicable  not  only 
on  railroads  but  in  every  industry  where  hazard  exists. 
Bob  Tracy,  a  young  man  employed  as  a  yard  brakeman, 
is,  because  of  unsafe  habits,  a  thorn  in  the  side  of  his 
brother-in-law,  the  superintendent.  Hoping  to  inculcate 
safety  ideas  in  the  young  brakeman's  mind,  Foster  puts 
him  on  the  safety  committee.  Bob  is  in  the  habit  of 
drinking  on  the  sly.  He  does  not  get  drunk  and  his 
fellow  employes  are  not  aware  of  his  habit.  In  a  dra- 
matic scene,  Bob's  sister  endeavors  to  make  him  see 
that  men  engaged  in  hazardous  emnloyment  should  main- 
tain habits  that  will  insure  a  perfectly  normal  physical 
and    mental    condition    at    all    times,    which    to    her   min4 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  93 

is  a  'rule  of  reason.'  The  influence  of  a  little  four-year- 
old  girl  adds  to  Bob's  concern,  and  his  conscience  fin- 
ally revolts  against  his  shortcomings.  Neglecting  to 
close  a  switch  after  he  has  let  a  train  in  on  a  yard  track, 
and  falling  asleep  because  of  his  improper  indulgence, 
he  dreams  that  a  frightful  yard  collision  occurs  through 
his  neglect.  Awakening  from  his  dreams  with  a  start 
and  stricken  with  fear  and  horror,  Bob  stumbles  for- 
ward and  throws  the  switch  to  proper  position,  and  then 
to  his  great  relief  finds  the  train  still  safe  and  that  no 
accident  in  reality  happened.  He  has  had  his  lesson. 
A  love  story  is  intertwined  and  in  the  end  BbTTs  'fiancee 
shows  her  approval  of  Bob's  reformation.  This  is  a 
splendid   safety   picture." 

The  Outlaw.   Obtainable  from  Lincoln  &  Parker 

Film  Company.    Cost  of  rental:  (?) 

The  plot  is  of  unusual  interest.  Carelessness  is 
personified  as  Satan,  and  its  various  forms  as  Imps. 
The  tricks  of  the  evil  one  and  his  malicious  imps  are 
vividly  portrayed.  An  interesting  basis  is  laid  for  show- 
ing effective  safety  measures — the  means  of  overcoming 
the    devil    of   carelessness. 

SANITATION 

The  Mosquito.  Obtainable  from  the  Exhibitors' 
Booking  Agency.    Cost  of  rental :  $3.00  per  day. 

Fly  Pest  Film.  Obtainable  from  the  American 
Civic  Association,  Washington  ,  D.  C.  Cost  of 
rental:  $5.00  a  showing;  $15.00  a  week. 

The  House  Fly.  Obtainable  from  Exhibitors' 
Booking  Agency.  Cost  of  rental :  $5.00  a  day.  By 
the  week  about  $3.00  a  day. 

This  reel  contains  the  complete  life  history  of  the 
house  fly  (Musca  domestica).  A  marvelous  microscopic 
motion  picture.  It  is  scientifically  accurate,  yet  written  in 
simple  language.  The  last  part  of  the  reel  deals  with  the 
manner  in  which  the  germs  of  disease  are  carried  by 
the  fly. 


94      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

How  New  York  Does  It.  Department  of  Street 
Cleaning.  Obtainable  from  the  General  Film  Co. 
Cost  of  rental :  (?) 

Keeping  a  Great  City  Clean.  Obtainable  from 
the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  School  for  White  Wings.  Obtainable  from 
Bray  Studios.     Cost  of  rental :  $2.50. 

How   a   great   city   instructs   its   street   cleaners. 

City  Waste  Disposal.*  Obtainable  from  Lin- 
coln &  Parker  Co.  Cost  of  rental :  approximately 
$2.50. 

Sewage  Disposal.*  Obtainable  from  Lincoln  & 
Parker  Co.    Cost  of  rental :  approximately  $2.50. 

Saving  Money  for  the  Taxpayer.  Keeping  the 
City  Clean  and  Conserving  Every  Ounce  of  Waste 
Means  Money  in  Your  Pocket.  N.  Y.  City  has  a 
Model1  System  of  Disposing  of  Garbage.  (Univ. 
Screen  Mag.  52.)  Obtainable  from  the  Universal 
Film  Manufacturing  Co.    Cost  of  rental:  (?) 

At  dock,  giant  derrick  dumps  boxes,  paper  and  bot- 
tles on  one  barge,  ashes  on  another. — Formerly  cost 
$232,000  yearly  to  dispose  of  garbage;  now  reducing 
company  pays  $180,000  for  the  privilege. — City  receives 
$725  a  week  from  junk-men  for  sorting  this  material. — 
Bales  of  old  rags  and  paper  for  the  paper  mills. — Bot- 
tles and  bones  are  big  revenue  bringers. — Valuable  gar- 
bage goes  to  reducing  plant  at  Barren  Island;  ashes  go 
to  Riker's  Island  to  make  "new  land." — The  scoop  does 
the  work  of  20  men  and  saves  thousands  of  dollars  to 
the  overburdened  taxpayer. — Tug  pulling  barge  of  val- 
uable garbage  to  grease  and  fertilizer  plant. — Ashes  and 
other  useless   material  are  dumped  at  sea. — At  reducing 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  95 

plant,  oils  and  fats  are  extracted  from  vegetable  matter 
and  go  to  make  finest  grades  of  perfume,  soap,  pomade, 
and  the  glycerine  in  high  explosive   shells. 


SOCIAL  SERVICE 

A  Field  of  Philanthropy.  Obtainable  through 
Alma  G.  Traugott,  Chicago  Lying-in  Hospital  and 
Dispensary,  426  East  Fifty-first  Street,  Chicago,  111. 
Cost  of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

Shows  various  phases  of  the  work  in  congested  dis- 
tricts for  the  welfare  of  expectant  mothers  and  care  of 
the   newborn   infants. 

Cleveland:  Welfare  Work  of  the  Various  Or- 
ganizations. Obtainable  from  the  Welfare  Federa- 
tion of  Cleveland,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only. 

A  Corner  in  Cotton.  Obtainable  from  the  Metro 
Pictures  Corporation.  Cost  of  rental:  $10.00  per 
exhibition. 

The  daughter  of  a  wealthy  broker  becomes  inter- 
ested in  welfare  work  among  the  poor  in  New  York. 
She  is  given  by  her  father  as  a  birthday  gift  $50,000 
worth  of  stock  in  Consolidated  Cotton.  Later  she  be- 
comes interested  in  the  conditions  in  the  mills  and  -de- 
termines to  go  down  and  investigate.  She  also  becomes 
interested  in  the  son  of  the  mill  owner  and  and  they  de- 
cide that  there  are  more  important  things  in  the  worl-d 
than  cotton. 

Jewish  Charities.  Obtainable  from  the  Bureau 
of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of  rental :  trans- 
portation charges  only. 

The  Other  Half.  Obtainable  from  the  New 
York  Association   for  Improving  the   Condition  of 


96      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

the  Poor,  105  East  22d  Street,  N.  Y.  City.     Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

Charity  Floating  Hospital.  (Univ.  Screen  Mag. 
No.  3.)  Obtainable  from  the  Universal  Film  Manu- 
facturing Co.    Cost  of  rental:  $3.00. 

Tenement  districts  where  children  are  in  need  of 
fresh  air. — Examined  before  being  allowed  to  board. — 
This  floating  hospital  has  during  last  summer  treated 
and  carried,  5,000  children  without  regard  to  creed  or 
color. — Bidding  New  York  good-bye  for  a  day's  tmting. 
— A  ward. — Where  milk  is  specially  prepared. — Steriliz- 
ing.— Best  medical  treatment  to  sick  babies. — After  a 
bath. — Arriving  at  Seaside  Hospital,  S.  1.,  where  the 
sick  babies  and  overworked  mothers  spend  their  two 
weeks'  vacation  to  recuperate. — Infants'  ward. — Taught 
to    be   useful. — Starting    for    home. 

The  Visiting  Nurse.  Obtainable  from  the  Bese- 
ler  Educational  Film  Co.    Cost  of  rental :  $2.00. 

A  romance  showing  the  various  activities  of  a  visit- 
ing nurse  in  a  large  city. 

In  His  Father's  Footsteps.  Obtainable  from  the 
New  York  State  Department  of  Health.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only.  (Not  loaned  in 
New  York  City.) 

Designed  to  show  the  danger  of  various  insanitary 
conditions  often  met  with  on  farms  and  urge  the  ob- 
servance of  such  simple  precautions  as   make  for   health. 

TUBERCULOSIS 

The  Temple  of  Moloch.  Obtainable  from  the 
National  Tuberculosis  Association,  381  Fourth  Ave., 
New  York  City.  Cost  of  rental :  $.50  per  day  per 
reel. 

The  working  man  and  tuberculosis  is  the  theme 
of  this    intensely  dramatic   picture;   along  with   this   runs 


AMUSEMENT  IN   TOLEDO,  OHIO  97 

the  idea  of  childhood  infection.  The  wealthy  owner 
refuses  to  listen  to  suggestions  of  sanitary  improve- 
ment in  the  factory  an-d  tenements  owned  by  him.  The 
young  health  officer,  in  love  with  the   former's  daughter, 

exploits  these  conditions  through  the  press.  The  manu- 
facturer's two  children  fall  victims  of  the  disease.  The 
climax  is  reached  when  the  father  learns  that  his  chil- 
dren were  infected  years  before  by  their  nurse-girl  who 
was  a  daughter  of  a  .former  workman.  With  the  father's 
awakening  comes  a  determination  to  clean  up  conditions, 
and    the   story   closes   with   a   happy    Christmas    scene. 

The  Lone  Game.  Obtainable  from  the  National 
Tuberculosis  Association.  Cost  of  rental:  $.50  per 
day  per  reel. 

On  the  one  hand  is  the  poor  consumptive  who  goes 
West  with  only  $20  in  his  pockets,  in  the  hope  that  he 
will  be  cured  of  his  -disease.  He  is  too  weak  to  work 
and  cannot  secure  admission  to  the  hospitals  there  with- 
out money.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  the  young  col- 
lege student  of  football  fame,  who,  upon  contracting  tu- 
berculosis, leaves  for  the  West  with  every  necessity  and 
luxury  money  can  buy.  The  first  one,  after  a  fruitless 
struggle  to  play  "the  lone  game''  without  money,  dies; 
the  second  is  restored  to  health.  Football,  romance,  and 
Red   Cross   Seals   are   all  blended   together. 

The  Price  of  Human  Lives.     Obtainable  from 

the    National    Tuberculosis    Association.      Cost    of 

rental :  $.50  per  day  per  reel. 

The  man  who,  unknown  to  his  daughter  and  friends, 
manufactures  the  fake  consumption  "cure,"  amasses  a 
fortune  from  its  sale,  while  the  poor  deluded  public  re- 
fuses to  be  convinced  of  the  harm  being  done  them.  The 
swindler's  own  daughter  exposes  the  so-called  "cure''  and 
brings  her  father  to  a  realization  of  the  dreadful  evil  of 
his  business. 

The  Great  Truth.  Obtainable  from  the  Na- 
tional Tuberculosis  Association.  Cost  of  rental: 
$.50  per  day  per  reel. 

That  tuberculosis  is  an  infectious  disease,  that  it  is 
not  inherited,  and  that  it  can  be  cured  and  prevented,  is 


98      MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

the  message  which  this  picture  carries.  It  is  especialty 
valuable  inasmuch  as  it  brings  out  many  important 
phases  of  the  tuberculosis  problem,  such  as  the  visiting 
nurse,  home  and  sanatorium  care,  etc.  Of  course  the 
love  element  is  present. 

Hope.  Obtainable  from  the  National  Tubercu- 
losis Association.  Cost  of  rental :  $.50  per  day  per 
reel. 

Why  should  the  small  country  town  enlist  in  the 
fight  against  tuberculosis,  the  disease  of  the  city's  slums? 
What's  the  use  of  borrowing  trouble?  So  thought  young 
John  Harvey,  banker,  and  his  fellow-citizens.  How  the 
town  awakened  to  the  realization  that  tuberculosis  lurks 
everyhere,  and  that  its  responsibility  is  prevention,  is 
told  in  this  dramatic,  educational  picture,  whose  mes- 
sage is  hope  to  all  those  sufferers  who  can  be  cured,  if 
their  communities  also  will  recognize  their  duty  with 
regard    to   preventive   measures   in    tuberculosis. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

A  Trip  to  the  City  of  Baltimore.  Obtainable 
from  the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost 
of  rental:  transportation  charges  only. 

In  and  Around  Chicago.  Obtainable  from  the 
Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of  rental : 
transportation  charges  only. 

A  Trip  to  the  Cities  of  Cleveland  and  Toledo. 
Obtainable  from  the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Eco- 
nomics.   Cost  of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  Trip  to  the  City  of  Denver.  Obtainable 
from  the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost 
of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A   Trip   to   the   City   of    Detroit.      Obtainable 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  99 

from  the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.     Cost 
of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  Trip  to  the  City  of  Indianapolis.  Obtainable 
from  the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost 
of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  Trip  to  New  York  City.  Obtainable  from 
the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  Trip  to  the  City  of  Norfolk.  Obtainable  from 
the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  Trip  to  the  City  of  Philadelphia.  Obtainable 
from  the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost 
of  rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

A  Trip  to  the  City  of  St.  Paul.  (The  winter 
carnival.)  Obtainable  from  the  Bureau  of  Commer- 
cial Economics.  Cost  of  rental :  transportation 
charges  onlv. 


&' 


Washington  the  Beautiful.  Obtainable  from 
the  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 

"How  New  York  Does  It."  Social  Service  and 
Waterways  Dept.  (One  reel.)  Obtainable  from  the 
General  Film  Company.     Cost  of  rental:  (?) 

"How  Life  Begins."  (Four  reels.)  Obtainable 
from    Exhibitors'   Booking   Agency,   220   West   42d 


100     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Street.     Cost  of  rental :   $20.00  per  day,  plus  war 

tax. 

The  pictures  begin  with  the  microscopic  view  of  the 
simplest  forms  of  plant  reproduction  and  lead  up  to  the 
more  complex  forms.  Simplicity  and  delicacy  character- 
ize it  throughout. 

San  Francisco  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Its  Ac- 
tivities. Obtainable  from  the  San  Francisco  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce,  San  Francisco,  Cal.  Cost  of 
rental :  transportation  charges  only. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  101 


CHAPTER  II. 

QUESTIONS,  METHODS  AND  INVESTIGA 

TIONS 


1.  What  is  the  age  limit  of  unchaperoned  children 
at  theatres  and  motion-picture  shows  in  your 
city? 

2.  From  a  study  of  the  school  surveys,  what  types 
of  pictures  are  most  popular  with  children? 

3.  Is  the  "Charlie  Chaplin  manner  and  the  Mutt 
and  Jeff  stage  of  mentality"  the  sign  manual 
of  the  average  youth? 

4.  Do  children  make  a  clear-cut  distinction  be- 
tween the  travesty  and  the  serious?     Discuss. 

5.  Does  the  frequent  attendance  of  young  and 
growing  children  at  the  "movies"  recreate  and 
renew  physical  and  mental  energy?  What  are 
the  arguments  advanced  by  educators  as  to  the 
"physical  dangers"  incurred? 

6.  What  do  you  think  of  the  use  of  school  houses 
by  the  community  for  the  exhibition  of  pic- 
tures? 

7.  What  do  you  think  of  the  development  of  a 
Community  Center  for  pictures,  drama,  folk 
song,  folk-dance,  pageantry,  celebration  of  na- 
tional holidays  and  community  events?  Could 
this  be  made  a  helpful  factor  in  "Americaniz- 
ing" the  "foreigner"  and  "alien?" 

8.  Are  we  as  a  nation,  guilty  of  "over-playing"  or 
"underplaying?"     Discuss, 


102    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

9.  How  much  of  our  education  is  derived  from 
Suggestion  and  Imitation?  Apply  to  the 
"Movies." 

10.  Outline  the  reasons  for  a  Children's  Theatre  in 
your  city. 

11.  How  would  you  proceed  to  develop  a  children's 
playhouse? 

12.  How  may  the  "movies"  be  employed  in  civic 
education? 

13.  Do  you  know  how  the  principles  of  democracy 
can  be  applied  to  the  recreation  problem? 

14.  What  do  you  think  of  the  advisability  of  hav- 
ing a  Local  Board  of  Film  Censors?  What 
agencies  would  you  have  represented  on  the 
Board? 

15.  What  do  you  think  of  the  work  of  the  National 
Board  of  Review  of  Pictures?     Discuss  freely. 

16.  What  do  you  think  of  the  work  of  the  Ohio 
Board  of  Censors?  Discuss  the  ideals  and 
difficulties  of  this  Board. 

19.  Discuss  the  advantages  of  a  Federal  Board  of 
Film  Censors.    Why  the  objection  of  Film  pro- 
ducers and  exhibitors? 

20.  Which  is  better  for  a  community-public  recrea- 
tional facilities  under  city  control  or  private 
recreational  facilities  under  private  control? 

21.  Can  private  agencies  cater  to  as  many  types  of 
persons  as  public  agencies? 

22.  Discuss  the  method  of  securing  better  films  for 
young  people, 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  103 

23.  Which  has  the  greater  social  responsibility— 
the  owners  and  exhibitors  of  motion  pictures 
or  the  parents  and  public  sentiment? 

24.  Do  ''comedy"  films  often  suggest  clever  ways 
of  indulging  in  the  "questionable?"  What  do 
the  Juvenile  Courts  say  ? 

25.  Why  do  we  not  have  a  dramatic  critic  of  mo- 
tion pictures  and  their  plots — the  same  as  we 
do  of  the  speaking  drama? 

26.  In  Madison,  Wisconsin,  a  survey  revealed  that 
twelve  per  cent  of  the  total  films  exhibited,  por_ 
trayed  plots  dealing  with  immorality.  Do  you 
think  this  a  fair  percentage  for  Toledo?  Your 
own  city? 

27.  Has  the  Board  of  Education  any  responsibility 
in  providing  proper  play  facilities  for  a  city's 
youth?     Discuss. 

28.  How  many  children  under  14  years  work  for 
wacres  in  Toledo?     In  vour  city? 


SECTION  THREE 


The  Moral  and  Physical 
Effects  of  the  Movies 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  107 

THE  MORAL  AND  SOCIAL  EFFECTS  OF 

THE  MOVIES 


The  social  effects  are  not  entirely  of 

r"  an     incalculable     quantity.       In     fact, 

"Pro"  \  -  •  • 

.nany    arguments,    both    of   a    positive 

and  negative  nature  can  be  advanced  as  to  their  use. 

The  advantages  are  as  follows : 

1.   The  Advantages 

1.  The  providing   of  a  reasonable-priced   and 
highly  entertaining  form  of  amusement. 

2.  Convenience   both   as   to   accessibility   and 
continuous  play  hours. 

3.  The  promotion  of  family  unity — as  seen  in 
attendance  of  the  entire  family. 

4.  The  counteraction  against  the  influence  of 
the  brothel,  saloon,  public  dance  hall  and 

0 

other  questionable  forms  of  amusement. 

5.  A  provision  for  amusement  and  relaxation. 

6.  The  supplying  of  information  in  regard  to 
travel,  history  and  world  events. 

7.  The  treatise  of  high  moral  and  educational 
themes. 

8.  The  movies  as  an  "art." 

To  these  items  serious  attention  must  be  given. 
No  true  educator  can  deplore  in  a  busy 
age — the   opportunity   foj  recreation   and 
^  amusement  that  is  afforded  persons  of  lim- 

ited means.     Proper  recreation  and  amusement  are 
as  necessary  as  food  and  raiment.    The  person  who 


108    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

makes  his  boast,  that  "he  has  no  time  or  disposi- 
tion to  play"  is,  or  will  prove  to  be,  a  dangerous  fac- 
tor to  society.  Educators  are  constantly  deploring 
the  fact  that  we  are  rapidly  losing  the  zest  for  indi- 
vidual indulgence  in  the  games  of  life — that  we  are 
infected  with  the  disease  termed  "Spectatoritis," 
which  is  the  perfectly  reconciled  state  of  merely 
being  a  "looker-on"  and  not  an  active  participant. 
The  charge  is  made  that  far  too  much  of  our 
amusement  is  of  the  nature  of  passive  receptivity 
— a  kind  of  self-indulgence  rather  than  self-expres- 
sion, and  that  we  need  more  walking  and  personal 
action  in  games  of  the  great  out-of-doors,  where  the 
lungs  can  expand  and  a  healthful  reaction  realized 
in  the  muscles  and  nerve  centers.  The  actor  re- 
ceives his  stimulus  from  his  efforts,  not  so,  the  be- 
holder. 

Again,  it  is  a  matter  of  great  convenience 
Q  to  be  able  to  "drop  into"  one  of  these  pic- 

ture houses  and  spend  but  a  couple  of 
hours'  time,  free  from  the  necessity  of  "fixing  up" 
and  "losing  time,"  so  characteristic  of  the  days  of 
the  speaking  drama.  This  is  indeed  a  decided  ad- 
vantage, but  may  it  not  prove  to  be  an  occassion 
of  abuse  in  spite  of  its  convenience  and  "time-sav- 
ing" feature? 

Whether   the    patronage   of   saloons, 

public  dance  halls  and  other  forms  of 

for  Saloon  ,.  .         ,  , 

questionable  amusement  has  decreased 

within  the  past  twenty  years  (since  the  introduction 

of  moving  pictures),  there  is  no  definite  dependable 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  109 

data.  There  are  two  communities,  however,  one  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  and  a  county  in  Pennsylvania 
of  which  it  is  stated  that  the  patronage  of  the  saloon 
has  decreased  forty  per  cent.17  Of  course  the  man 
who  takes  his  family  with  him  to  the  movies  is  not 
at  that  particular  time  patronizing  the  saloon,  what- 
ever his  conduct  may  reveal  later. 

There  can  be  no  question  but 

Limitation  ,        ,,  „      ~ 

what  there  are  many  really  fine 

*   *     _       .     ,„     pictures    which    possess    marked 
"Ladle  Method  ,        ,.        ,  .;    -    ,     ..    .    .. 

educational    merit,    but    that    the 

"movies"  either  at  present  or  in  the  remote  future 
can  function  as  a  final  substitute  for  text-books  and 
the  cultural  advantages  derived  from  a  long  and 
sustained  period  of  study,  not  even  their  most 
ardent  promoters  affirm.  Knowledge  imparted  by 
the  "pouring-in-by-the-ladle"  method  is  fragment- 
ary and  fraught  with  many  serious  educational  ob- 
jections. The  criticism  that  where  good  literature 
is  pictured  or  historical  scenes  reproduced,  they  are 
usually  viciously  altered,  main  parts  omitted  and  a 
distorted  idea  of  the  subject  given,  deserves  seri- 
ous consideration. 

iC .     „  Much   is   heard    of  the   "movies   as   an 

Art  or 

?  art"  and    it    is  well  to   heed  an  authority 

on     this     particular     phase,     William     A. 

Brady,  a  famous  play  promoter.     He   says:    "The 

17Aftcr  investigation  of  101  motion  picture  theatres 
in  Cleveland,  located  within  a  half  block  of  one  or  more 
saloons,  the  investigator  gave  as  hi-  testimony  that 
"the  motion  picture  theater  is  today  the  greatest  com- 
petitor and  one  of  the  strongest  enemies  of  the  saloon 
with    its    degrading    companionships." 


110     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

movies  are  handicapped  in  an  artistic  competition 
with  the  stage.  The  majority  do  not  command  the 
best  authors  and  few  picture  actors  take  themselves 
or  their  work  seriously.  It  is  a  greatly  overpaid 
industry.  The  only  underpaid  people  in  the  movies 
are  the  scenario  people.  They  always  will  be,  for 
a  scenario  is  only  an  idea,  and  a  man  with  a  good 
idea  can  make  a  play  of  it.  If  successful,  he  will 
make  twenty  times  as  much  as  for  a  film.  Good 
style  always  gets  the  best  authors  and  it  is  the  stage 
and  not  the  movies  that  secure  the  first  'big'  ideas." 

Another  authority  states :  "To  speak  of  the 
art  of  the  movies  is  a  force  of  a  farce,  contradictory 
in  terms.  The  movies  are  more  like  artifice  than 
art.  The  idea  being  to  express  life  not  as  the  manu- 
facturer himself  sees  life,  or  anyone  else  for  that 
matter,  but  as  he  imagines  someone  else  wants  to 
see  it !  The  motion  picture  can  never  be  art,  be- 
cause it  is  not  literature,  and  consequently  has  no 
power  of  persistence.  According  to  Frohman,  the 
life  of  the  "best"  photodrama  is  not  over  two  years. 
In  contrast,  true  art  does  not  perish  in  so  brief  a 
time.  Instead,  therefore,  of  calling  the  movies  "art" 
they  might  better  be  defined  as  a  "cutey"  or  even 
"cootie"  of  the  crafts." 


18A  film  supply  house  states  that  "a  little  of  the 
suggestive  is  in  nearly  every  so-called  great  drama" — ■ 
that  "it  acts  as  the  spice  of  life  to  give  it  seasoning" 
and  as  for  his  being  able  to  cater  to  the  ''taste,"  of  the 
typical  fan,  it  is  an  impossibility — he  merely  feeds  his 
desires    on   thrills    and   sensations." 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  111 

Is   the  average   performance  of  such 

^rT,     ,         a  nature  as  to  shape  and  develop  moral 
Of  Ideals      c,      -       _. 

fibre.  Many  persons  are  visual- 
minded,"  that  is,  their  sensations,  emotions  and  im- 
pressions are  derived  for  the  greater  part  from  what 
they  "see"  or  "feel,"  rather  than  from  what  they 
read  and  think  thru  from  standard  sources.  This 
large  class  of  non-readers  secure  snap-shot  ideas 
of  life  from  the  screen — ideals  of  religion,  morals, 
ethics,  government,  domestic  life,  forms  of  amuse- 
ment, liberty  and  personal  license.  Little  or  no  dis- 
crimination is  made  between  the  travesty  and  the 
real — the  comic  and  the  serious — the  genuine  and 
the  superficial.  Pictures  are  taken  at  their  face 
value,  while  the  suggestive  and  sensational  films 
have  by  far  the  greater  patronage. 


2.  THE  DISADVANTAGES 

The   specific   dangers   to   children 

Arguments —         ,  .    ,. 

ftrK  °  — aue   to   an   indiscriminate   patron- 

age of  public  picture  houses  are  as 


'Con 
follows  : 


Physical  Dangers 

1.  Injury  to  the  eyes. 

2.  Development  of  neurasthenia. 

3.  Loss  of  sleep  to  growing  children. 

4.  Danger  of  disease. 

5.  Substitute  for  physical  exercise. 


112    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Social  Dangers 

1.  Laxity  of  home-control. 

2.  Promiscuous  mingling  with  feeble-minded. 

3.  Formation  of  loose-spending  habits. 

4.  Incapacity    of    sustained    mental    application, 
especially  in  school  work. 

5.  Creation    of    adult    standards    for    immature 
youth. 

Moral  Dangers 

1.  Exaggerated  viewpoints  of  life. 

2.  Awakening  of  morbid  curiosity. 

3.  Lack    of    discrimination    of    what    constitutes 
travesty  and  serious. 

4.  False  conceptions  of  sin. 

5.  Development  of  an  abnormal  imagination. 

6.  Creation  of  a  sickly  sentimentalism.  \J 

7.  Creation  of  a  desire  to  imitate  plots. 

8.  The  false  depicting  of  true  art. 

9.  Vivid   portrayal    of   loose    ethics    as    affecting 
home-ties,  relation  to  state  and  society.     * 

10.  False  delineation  of  what  constitutes  true 
Americanism. 

11.  Genesis  of  crime  and  juvenile  delinquency. 

12.  Evils  incident  to  the  entire  system  of  "com- 
mercialized" and  unsupervised  forms  of  public 
amusement. 

Whv  Not  ^e  whole  question  in  a  nutshell,  is 
Dramatic  one  °^  contr°l-  It  1S  freely  granted  that 
Critique?  ^e  movies  possess  great  educational,  so- 
cial and  entertainment  possibilities. 
But,  when  the  so-called  "great  movies"  are  brought 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  113 

down  to  clap-trap  and  balderdash,  an  insult  is  rend- 
ered every  one  whose  intellect  is  above  the  dime- 
novel  stage.  Students  are  deploring  the  lack  of 
newspaper  and  magazine  criticisms  of  all  plays  in 
general,  and  particularly  those  plays,  the  plots  of 
which  place  a  greater  premium  on  error  than  truth. 
The  legitimate  drama  and  stage  all  come  in  for 
drastic  criticism,  but  the  press  is  strangely  silent 
about  the  malicious  distortions,  and  moral  incon- 
gruities of  many  picture  plots.  We  have  plenty  of 
-clever  advertising  as  to  the  respective  merits  of 
actors  and  actresses  and  ingenious  references  made 
to  cost  of  scenery  and  length  of  time  and  expense  of 
production.  Why  not  also  have  a  dramatic  critique 
of  the  aesthetic  element  of  the  plot  and  the  educa- 
tional and  moral  values  to  be  derived? 

The  movies  are  making  the  taste  of  nearly 
60,000  impressionable  school  children  in  Toledo 
alone !  Is  it  a  bad  taste,  based  solely  on  sensation 
and  manipulation  of  the  child's  emotions,  or  is  its 
mission  one  of  refinement  and  education  in  manners 
and  morals? 

3.    LOCAL  OBSERVATIONS 


From     an     observation     extending 

"The  Spicy"  ^  ,    ,  •,        i 

r    J        over  two  years  in    1  oleclo,  and  mak- 

Touch  .  ,  ,       „  c 

ing  a  reasonable  allowance  tor  some 

truly  great  plays,  it  is  estimated  that  at  least  sixty 

per  cent,  or  six  out  of  every  ten  "great"  pictures, 

will   have   interwoven,   either   in   plot  or   execution. 

some   "suggestive"  touch   before  their  completion! 


114    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Frequently,  it  is  the  presentation  of  a  prolonged 
passionate  love  scene  which  is  freely  mixed  with 
excessive  kissing — the  graphic  depicting  of  domestic 
infidelity  ending  in  the  elopment  with  another 
man's  wife,  or,  the  vivid  presentation  of  the  scenes 
of  a  life  that  has  gone  wrong,  but  is  now  acceptable 
to  society,  quite  immune  from  the  scars  and  penal- 
ties of  sin,  and  with  little  or  no  clear-cut  evidence 
of  repentance  or  restitution. 

The  most  unbiased  of  patrons  are 

_         .  really  at    "sea"  as  to  whether  the 

Question  '     ,  •   ,      , 

good  elements  outweigh  the  ques- 
tionable ;  whether  the  influences  derived  from  the 
evening's  entertainment  for  the  children  and  family 
will  end  there  and  the  final  impressions  received 
prove  beneficial  or  destructive,  and  we  may  add 
whether  the  "moral"  moralizes  or  demoralizes! 

Independent  therefore  of  what  the  industry  or 
the  "movie  fan"  may  think,  these  are  problems  of 
educational  import,  and  hence,  matters  of  commu- 
nity  concern. 

_  It  ought  to  be  a  matter  of  con- 

Testimony  of  .- 

.,    "L  cern  to   any  community,  if  a  great 

Juvenile  Court  ,  ;  ,      .1     .      %    . 

army    or   boys   and   girls   in     their 

"teens"     are     increasing     in     number     before     the 

Juvenile  Courts  each  year.     This  is  the  condition  in 

Toledo  and  in  many  other  rapidly  growing  cities. 

Approximately  2,500  youths  are  brought  before  the 

Juvenile  Court  officials  each  year  for  examination 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  115 

as  to  possible  delinquency.  Six  hundred,  or  24%, 
are  committed  to  the  Juvenile  Court  Detention 
Home.  The  chief  offences  are  Stealing,  Truancy 
and  Immorality. 

Stealing    56% 

Truancy    24% 

Immorality    20% 

Fifty  per  cent  of  these  delinquents  are  mentally 
defective  and  hence,  particularly  susceptible  to  sug- 
gestions and  impressions.  Two-thirds  of  all 
juvenile  delinquents  come  from  homes  where  the 
parents  are  likewise  delinquent — due  to  feeble- 
mindedness. It  is  estimated  that  two-thirds  of  the 
girls  who  appear  before  the  Court,  charged  with 
immorality,  owe  their  misfortune  to  influences  de- 
rived directly  from  the  movies,  either  from  the  pic- 
tures themselves,  or  in  the  "picking  up"  of  male  ac- 
quaintances at  the  theatre  !19 

The  offences  for  stealing  include  robbery, 
swindling  and  playing  the  part  of  the  "hold-up" 
man. 

A  small  boy  was  brought  before  the  local 
Juvenile  Court.  He  had  been  accused  of  shooting 
a  revolver  at  his  playmates'  feet.  \Yhen  asked 
"why  he  did  so?"  he  replied:  "I  saw  the  stunt 
pulled  off  at  the  movies,  and  I  thought  it  was 
great." 

Another  boy  (11  years  of  age)  recently  "held 
up"  a  trolley  car  of  people  with  a  revolver.  Stand- 
ing on  the  tracks,  he  refused  to  move,  and  in  true 

19Statement    of   Juvenile    Court   officials. 


116    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

"cowboy"  style  demanded,  "Come  out  or  I  shoot  I" 

The  motorman,  who  tells  the  story,  states  that  he 

lost  no  time  in   alighting  from  the  car,   and,   in  a 

somewhat  fearful  manner,  endeavored  to  persuade 

the  boy  as  to  the  seriousness  of  his  offense.     The 

boy  simply  turned  on  his  heel  and  replied,  "Why, 

that's   nothing;    I    saw   the   same   act   done    at   the 

movies  last  week,  and  my  chum  made  a  bet  that  I 

could  not  do  it.     I  get  my  dollar,  sir." 

A    few   are    asking,    "Where    do    the 

voung  secure   these  ideas  of  life?     At 
■pi   _  j  j        ° 

least  seventy  per  cent  (according  to 
rob  ems  ^^  Qwn  testimony)  derive  their  ideas 
from  the  movies.20  How  could  it  be  otherwise? 
The  children  do  not  make  the  plots  for  the  pictures, 
and  lacking  discrimination  meekly  accept  them  as 
ideals  for  conduct.  A  few  of  the  many  "blood  and 
sex"  problems  as  presented  in  Toledo  are  as  fol- 
lows : 

A  Bachelor's  Children. 

Damaged  Goods. 

A  Beloved  Blackmailer. 

The  Whirlpool. 

Salome-Bara. 

Cleopatra-Bara. 

The  Fool  There  Was. 

The  Light. 

The  Bathing  Beauties. 

A  Romance  of  the  Underworld. 

20Figures  from  Probation  officers  of  seven  large 
cities  In  Toledo,  it  is  estimated  that  fifty  per  cent  of 
all  cases  of  juvenile  delinquency,  is  traceable  to  the  in- 
fluence of  the  "movies"  (a  conservative  estimate). 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  11? 

I  Want  to  Forget. 

Her  Unborn  Child. 

Camille. 

The  House  of  Bondage. 

A  Perfect  36 — or  Her  Figure  Was  Her  Fortune. 

The  Wild- West  show,  the  saloon,  the  public 
dance-hall,  the  cabaret,  immodest  attire,  domestic 
infidelity,  betrayal  of  innocence,  all  are  graphically 
depicted,  and,  regardless  of  what  producers  may 
think,  will  ever  be  DEBATABLE  SUBJECTS! 
Films  warring  against  social  vice,  instead  of  devel- 
oping aversion  and  disgust,  too  often  create  a  feel- 
ing of  morbid  curiosity  and  desire  to  imitate. 

4.    THE  COMPLEXITY  OF  THE  PROBLEM. 

That  the  business  is  utilized  chief- 

"Business  Is    ,  , 

_      .  ,  ly  tor  gain,    no    one    cares    to  deny. 

Business  .,.,  .  .       ,  n         ,      , 

Ine   spirit   ot    unalloyed   altruism   is 

not  the  spirit  of  commercialized  amusement.  To  be 
sure,  since  the  war  began,  the  Government  has 
found  the  movies  an  excellent  medium  to  promote 
bond  sales,  encourage  enlistment  campaigns,  deliver 
messages  of  the  Food  Commission,  and  to  dissem- 
inate democratic  principles.  This  is  work  of  a  truly 
educational  character.  The  indiscriminate  presen- 
tation of  the  eternal  "blood  and  sex"  problems,  how- 
ever, with  their  intricate  dramatic  treatment  is  of  a 
distinctly  different  category.  The  whole  subject 
also  becomes  peculiarly  acute  from  the  fact  that  the 
National  Board  of  Censors  "VINDICATES  the  dra- 
matic presentation  of  life  in  even  its  most  danger- 
ous  relationships."     It   pleads  to  be   "permitted  to 


118    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

portray  life  AS  IT  IS  LIVED  in  the  various  stratas 
of  society,"  and  asks  "not  to  be  condemned  when 
it  SHOWS  THE  BAD  in  order  to  emphasize  the 
good  \"  This  is  asking  for  too  much  privilege — the 
laboratory  test  reveals  the  weakness  of  its  plea. 

_  First  of  all,  it  will  be  seen  that  mod- 

A  Factory 

ern  educational    methods  make    serious 

objection  to  such  logic.  Moral  science 
also  teaches  that  the  good  is  accentuated  and  devel- 
oped only  by  the  consideration  of  its  kind,  namely, 
the  pure  and  clean.  Surely  not  by  undue  emphasis 
and  lurid  portrayal  of  the  subtle  intrigues  and  work- 
ings of  the  evil  mind.  The  primary  purpose  of  going 
to  the  movies  is  not  to  take  a  lesson  in  moral  train- 
ing— the  effect  of  evil  can  be  seen,  and  all  too  well, 
in  any  morning  newspaper.  People  go  to  the  movies 
to  be  entertained,  and  while  there  become  affected 
by  whatever  ideals  are  presented.  The  proper  place 
for  the  teaching  of  morals  is  through  regularly  or- 
ganized channels,  such  as  the  home,  church  and 
school.  We  may  wonder,  sometimes,  if  these 
agencies  are  fully  realizing  and  exercising  their  po- 
tential possibilities,  but  whether  they  do  or  not, 
herein  lies  their  responsibility.  They  cannot  escape 
by  passing  the  privilege  over  to  venders  of  public 
amusement.  The  latter  know  their  own  limitations 
too  well,  and  often  smile  at  our  complacency  and 
indifference. 

A  criticism  which  is  not  without 

m  ▼./.-»     psychological    significance    is    that 

True  to  Life?      ,  .  fe 

the  movies  as  a  propoganda  are  try- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  119 

ing  to  infect  an  indiscriminate  public  with  EMO- 
TIONS it  has  not  at  first  experienced,  and  then 
subject  only  to  the  most  crude  standards.  A  recent 
editorial  indictment  is  as  follows : 

1.  Inadequacy  of  published  photoplay  criticism. 

2.  Dishonest  superlativeness  of  film-advertising. 

3.  The  supine  and  uncritical  public  acceptance 
of  pure  commercial  scripts. 

It  is  also  stated  by  authorities  that 

there  are  only  a  ''few  great  master- 
Masterpieces       •  j    i  j  j.1. 
r              pieces  and  play-producers  among  the 

many  million  film  productions  and  scenario  writers." 
If  such  is  true,  this  is  sufficient  commentary  in  itself 
regarding  the  educational  limitations  of  the  movies 
in  public  playhouses. 

Criticism  also  has  been  made  to 
The     Pretty  ^     unc|ue  emphasis  on  "the  pretty  girl 
oy       ^^  boy"  feature  in  the  movies, — 
a  kind  of  sugary  treatment  which  is 
becoming  characteristic  of  our  magazine  covers,  bill- 
boards and  commercial  advertising  in  general. 

Again,  if  the  industry  needs  no  control,  why  the 
antagonism  of  film  producers  and  exhibitors  against 
Federal  Censorship?  Surely  a  business  dominated 
by  the  ideals  it  claims  can  have  no  consistent  ob- 
jection to  a  Federal  control,  which  would  aid  in  the 
furtherance  and  extension  of  those  ideals. 

In  the  light  of  the  discussion  and  the  evident 
need  of  control  in  some  form,  the  following  sugges- 
tions are  submitted.  They  are  not  intended  as  a 
"cure-all,"  but  as  a  reminder  of  the  many  ways  so- 


120     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

cial  service  can  aid  in  one  of  the  greatest  problems 
confronting  the  American  city.  If  unity  of  commu- 
nity action  is  secured  in  but  one  feature  alone,  the 
advisability  and  necessity  of  the  others  will  become 
increasingly  evident. 

5.     A  PROPOSED    SOLUTION 

1.  The  increase  of  parental  responsibility,  as  seen 
in  intelligent  and  sympathetic  guidance,  regard- 
ing the  evils  of  promiscuous,  excessive  and  in- 
discriminate attendance  at  picture-shows,  bur- 
lesque and  vaudeville — care  to  be  exercised 
against  "over-control"  as  well  as  "under-con- 
trol." 

2.  The  possible  creation  of  a  Department  of  Pub- 
lic Morals  as  a  branch  of  the  City  Government. 
This  department  to  supervise  all  of  the  public 
amusement  places  of  the  city;  co-operate  with 
the  various  charitable,  philanthropic,  social,  re- 
ligious and  educational  agencies,  and  enforce 
the  present  City  Ordinance  regarding  the  at- 
tendance of  unchaperoned  minors  at  theatres. 
To  give  it  legal  status,  this  department  could 
be  made  a  branch  of  the  Department  of  Public 
Welfare  or  Public  Safety. 

3.  The  immediate  appointment  of  a  local  Board 
of  Film  Censors,  to  co-operate  with  the  Ohio 
Board  of  Film  Censors  as  to  the  type  of  pic- 
tures most  desirable  for  children.  The  number, 
personnel  and  all  matters  of  detail  to  be  worked 
our  carefully  by  the  Social  Service  Commission 
of  the  Inter-Church  Federation,  Catholic  and 


AMUSEMENT  IN   TOLEDO,  OHIO  121 

Jewish  churches.  The  censorship  of  all  picture 
posters  and  advertising  schemes  outside  of  the- 
atres and  picture  houses  is  also  necessary. 
4.  The  insertion  in  the  local  press  (each  week)  of 
the  bulletins  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Better 
Films  for  Young  People. 
5.  The  development  of  a  Children's  theatre  in  the 
city  wherein  clean,  wholesome  and  proper 
plays  may  be  shown  to  both  children  and  par- 
ents. A  local  theatre  might  be  secured  for  the 
proper  days. 

6.  Immediate  instruction  to  be  given  to  theatre 
managers  and  all  employees  regarding  en- 
forcement of  present  city  ordinance  as  to  at- 
tendance of  unchaperoned  minors. 

7.  Request  for  the  appointment  of  a  Federal 
Board  of  Film  Censors.  The  only  Federal  con- 
trol at  present  being  the  Federal  Interstate 
Law,  which  prohibits  the  interstate  transpor- 
tation and  foreign  importation  of  prize-fight 
films  by  various  states  and  local  bodies.  Hence, 
the  need  of  a  larger,  more  representative  and 
adequate  system  of  control. 

8.  The  creation  of  a  law  to  prevent  children  from 
attendance  at  shows  after  nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening. 

9.  A  reasonable  and  efficient  method  devised, 
whereby  "movies"  may  be  shown  with  comfort, 
little  expense  and  safety  in  the  home. 

10.     The  need  of  co-operation  between  the  educator 
and  film-maker  to  build  up  a  film  library  as 


122    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

complete  and  comprehensive  as  is  the  school 
library. 

11.  A  civic  awakening  on  the  part  of  the  public, 
that  only  the  best  pictures  be  allowed  to  be  ex- 
hibited, and  the  determination  to  patronize  only 
the  best  show-houses. 

6.     WHAT  THEY  DID  IN  PORTLAND  THEY 
CAN  DO  IN  TOLEDO 


Vaudeville  and  Motion  Picture  Shows  in  Portland, 

Oregon 

The  Mayor  of  the  city,  on  January  17,  1914,  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  investigate  vaudeville  and 
motion  picture  shows.  On  January  23,  several  man- 
agers of  local  vaudeville  houses  met  with  the  com- 
mittee. In  the  report  of  the  meeting,  Miss  Mary 
Isom,  secretary,  said : 

"The  chairman  stated  that  the  committee  had 
been  appointed  by  the  Mayor  in  order  to  promote 
the  interests  of  the  children  of  Portland,  and  also 
the  interests  of  the  amusement  houses ;  that  there 
was  no  pre-conceived  idea  of  what  should  be  done, 
and  that  this  meeting  was  to  be  considered  a  confer- 
ence on  the  best  measures  to  be  taken.  The  com- 
mittee felt  also  that  the  co-operation  of  the  man- 
agers was  necessary.  The  managers  united  in  say- 
ing that  their  shows  were  acceptable  and  that  no 
objectionable  features  were  permitted.  One  man- 
ager stated  that  standard  acts  only  were  presented, 
acts  that  were  played  all  over  the  world  emanating 
from  New  York,  or  the  other  side  of  the  water,  and 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  123 

that  each   manager  watched  his  show  on   Monday 
afternoons,  and  eliminated  any  song  or  speech  that 

bordered  on  the  objectionable;  that  managers,  how- 
ever, are  not  permitted  to  alter  an  act,  their  author- 
ity ending  with  the  elimination  of  details.  Another 
manager  confirmed  the  above  statement,  adding  that 
even  the  costume  could  not  be  changed,  only  songs, 
jokes,  etc.,  eliminated.  When  asked  if  whole  acts 
were  ever  received  that  were  objectionable,  he  re- 
plied, 'No,  but  individual  actors  have  to  be  watched.'' 
"At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  both  the  managers 
and  the  committee  expressed  satisfaction  that  a 
pleasant  understanding  had  been  reached.  The  man- 
agers invited  the  committee  to  visit  their  theatres  on 
Monday  afternoon  or  at  any  other  time,  and  to  criti- 
icize  freelv." 

The  Work  of  the  Advisory  Committee. 

"In  March,  1911,  after  a  survey  of  motion  pic- 
ture houses  had  been  made  by  Mrs.  E.  B.  Colwell, 
the  plan  for  censorship  submitted  by  Mr.  M.  C. 
Winstock,  of  the  People's  Amusement  Company, 
was  adopted  by  representatives  of  the  Associated 
Charities,  the  Woman's  Club,  the  Council  of  Jewish 
Women,  the  People's  Institute  and  the  Child  La- 
bor Commission.  This  plan  provided  that  all  the 
films  should  be  viewed  by  an  unofficial  committee, 
the  managers  agreeing  to  eliminate  parts  or  to  with- 
draw entire  reels  upon  the  request  of  this  commit- 
tee. 

"This  Advisory  Committee  and  viewers  ap- 
pointed by  them  have  been  working  since   March, 


124    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

1911,  in  the  exchanges  of  the  city.  At  these  ex- 
changes the  films  are  shown  to  the  motion  picture 
exhibitors  and  to  the  viewers.  Each  member  of  the 
committee  also  serves  as  a  viewer.  A  report  is  made 
on  each  film,  showing  date,  place,  name  of  film,  name 
of  maker,  name  of  viewer,  and  criticism.  This  re- 
port is  sent  to  the  chairman.  If  the  criticism  is  such 
as  to  suggest  further  viewing,  a  meeting  of  the  Ad- 
visory Committee  is  called,  and  the  film  is  again 
passed  upon.  If  it  is  condemned,  the  secretary  of 
the  committee  is  instructed  to  advise  the  exchange 
manager  in  writing,  giving  in  details  the  reasons 
for  requesting  that  the  film  be  withdrawn  from  ex- 
hibition in  the  city.  If  eliminations  are  to  be  made, 
the  same  action  is  taken.  Minor  eliminations  are 
made  wthout  a  written  notice. 

"There  are  five  exchanges  in  Portland,  showing 
an  average  of  123  reels  each  week.  There  are  28 
viewers,  each  of  whom  has  her  regular  day  for  view- 
ing. In  addition  to  the  regular  reels  shown,  there 
are  special  feature  films,  which  are  viewed  by  the  en- 
tire committee.  This  work  has  been  done  without 
expense  either  to  the  city  or  to  the  organizations 
represented   on  the  Advisory  Committee. 

"The  plan  is  in  operation  today  (1914),  altho 
it  has  been  necessary  to  pass  an  ordinance  defining 
the  kind  of  pictures  which  may  be  withdrawn  and 
naming  the  Municipal  Judge  as  the  final  authority 
to  whom  appeal  can  be  made  from  the  decision  of 
the  committee.  This  ordinance  is  inadequate.  It 
specifies  only  that  a  picture  must  be  'indecent,  im- 
moral, or  obscene.'  The  committee  condemns  films 
© 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  125 

which  do  not  come  within  this  classification,  such  as 
pictures  built  around  insanity,  or  fecble-mindedness, 
extremely  morbid  or  repulsive  pictures,  pictures 
showing'  extreme  brutality,  crime  and  criminal  meth- 
ods, vulgar  comedy,  and  those  showing  religious 
prejudice. 

"The  committee  has  the  support  of  the  Mayor 
and  Chief  of  Police  ;  the  decisions  are  thus  semi- 
official. The  original  group  consisted  of  Mrs.  E.  B. 
Colwell,  for  the  Associated  Charities ;  Mrs.  A.  C. 
Newill,  for  the  Women's  Club ;  Mrs.  Julius  Lippitt, 
for  the  Council  of  Jewish  Women ;  Mrs.  Valentine 
Pritchard,  for  the  People's  Institute ;  Mrs.  Millie  R. 
Trumbull,  for  the  Child  Labor  Commission. 

Achievements  for  the  Present  Committee. 

"The  City  of  Portland  is  under  deep  obligations 
to  the  members  of  the  Censorship  Committee  and 
the  viewers  who  have  freely  rendered  their  services 
for  the  past  three  and  one-half  years.  A  careful  re- 
view of  the  wrork  of  the  committee  and  the  progress 
of  the  motion  picture  business  during  these  three 
and  one-half  years  shows  that  great  improvements 
have  been  made.  Both  the  public  and  the  motion 
picture  business  are  indebted  to  the  committee  for 
their  aid.  Evidence  from  numerous  sources  leads 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  theatres  in  Portland  have 
STANDARDS  HIGHER  than  those  of  most  cities. 
Altho  the  reports  of  the  sixty  investigators  indicate 
that  the  Portland  public  is  ready  to  support  more 
stringent  censorship,  and  it  is  possible  that  a  little 
higher  standard  might  have  been  reached  thru  the 


126    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

elimination  of  an  exceedingly  small  proportion  of  the 
pictures  that  were  passed,  yet  it  must  be  remember- 
ed that  all  such  progress  is  necessarily  gradual  and 
that  any  movement  for  social  betterment  may  be  re- 
tarded by  arbitrary  attempts  to  go  too  far  beyond 
public  opinion. 

OFFICIAL  PUBLIC  CONTROL 

"This  voluntary  board  has  accomplished  much 
good,  but  the  films  it  condemns  are  sometimes 
shown.     The  committee  should  have  legal  powers. 

"A  board  with  the  power  of  enforcing  its  deci- 
sions is  a  better  protection,  to  those  managers  who 
desire  to  present  only  reputable  films  and  whose 
word  is  trustworthy.  After  several  Portland  man- 
agers had  respected  the  protest  against  the  produc- 
tion of  a  certain  dramatization  of  'Sappho,'  one  man- 
ager ignored  the  protest.  In  this  case,  only  the 
order  of  the  Mayor,  with  the  powerof  the  law  be- 
hind it,  was  effective.  Public  control  must  be  offi- 
cial in  order  to  treat  all  producers  and  all  theatres 
alike. 

"A  further  objection,  to  any  board  without 
power  to  enforce  its  decisions  is  that  its  condemna- 
tion may  advertise  the  very  features  it  wishes  to 
suppress.  Thus,  objectionable  plays  and  films  and 
vaudeville  acts  in  many  cities  have  attracted  large 
audiences. 

"The  official  Board  for  the  Supervision  of  Pic- 
ture Shows,  like  any  other  commission  entrusted 
with  a  large,  complicated  and  important  public  serv- 
ice, should  have  a  paid  executive  secretary,  devoting 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  127 

all  his  time  to  the  work.  The  duties  involved  in  pro- 
viding viewers  at  all  times  for  all  exchange  and  re- 
ceiving their  reports  and  acting  upon  them  is  suf- 
ficiently profitable  to  employ  the  full  time  of  a  sec- 
retary. If  the  expenses  of  the  committee  are  not 
paid  in  any  other  way,  the  plan  used  by  various 
cities  might  be  adopted  whereby  the  motion  pic- 
ture business  would  pay  thirty  to  fifty  cents  for  each 
film  inspected. 

Legality  of  Public  Control 
"There  is,  of  course,  no  question  concerning  the 
right  of  the  public  to  exercise  whatever  control  it 
deems  necessary.  All  legal  decisions  are  of  one  ac- 
cord. The  state  has  as  much  right  to  prescribe  films 
as  text-books,  as  much  right  to  ban  obscene  pam- 
phlets, as  much  right  to  regulate  public  amusements 
as  public  carriers,  and  we  may  add,  as  much  right 
to  supervise  vaudeville  acts  as  motion  pictures." — 
(Quotation  from  "A  Study  of  Theatres  in  Port- 
land.) 

Ordinance  No.  32571 
An  ordinance  regulating  the  exhibition  of  mo- 
tion pictures,  providing  a  penalty  for  the  violation 
thereof,  repealing  ordinances  number  26375  and 
30154,  and  all  other  ordinances  or  parts  of  ordi- 
nances in  conflict  therewith. 

The  City  of  Portland  does  ordain  as  follows: 
Section  1.  There  is  hereby  created  a  Board  of 
Motion  Picture  Censors  to  be  composed  of  seven 
members  who  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Commis- 
sioner of  Public  Safety  and  who  shall  be  subject  to 
removal  by  him  at  any  time.     The  Board  may  ap- 


128     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

point  viewers  to  act  under  its  authority  and  in  its 
behalf.  The  members  of  the  Board  and  viewers 
shall  serve  without  compensation. 

Section  2.  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety 
shall  appoint,  subject  to  the  Civil  Service  provisions 
of  the  Charter,  a  Secretary  to  said  Board  who  shall 
be  paid  a  salary  not  to  exceed  $100  per  month  and 
who  shall  perform  such  duties  as  the  Board  may  di- 
rect. 

Section  3.  No  person,  firm  or  corporation  shall 
exhibit,  sell,  rent  or  loan  any  motion  picture  unless 
the  film  shall  have  been,  approved  in  writing  by  a 
majority  of  the  members  of  the  Board. 

Section  4.  The  Board  may  refuse  to  approve 
any  film  which : 

(1)  Shows  anything  of  an  obscene,  indecent  or 
immoral  nature. 

(2)  Presents  any  gruesome,  revolting  or  dis- 
gusting scene  or  subject. 

(3)  Portrays  (in  such  manner  as  to  offend  pub- 
lic decency  or  morality)  any  murder,  sui- 
cide, robbery,  hold-up,  stabbing,  assault- 
ing, clubbing  or  beating. 

(4)  Depicts  any  cruelty  to  human  beings  or 
animals. 

(5)  Exhibits  methods  of  committing  crimes. 

(6)  Tends  to  disturb  the  public  peace. 
Section  5.     The  Board  shall  approve  all  films 

except  those  enumerated  in  Section  4  by  a  certificate 
of  approval,  the  form  of  which  shall  be  adopted 
by  the  Board,  but  approval  may  be  made  subject 
to  such  excisions  or  alterations  as  the  Board  may 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  129 

direct  and  require,  and  the  Board  may,  by  unani- 
mous vote,  withdraw  its  approval  of  any  film  for 
cause  shown. 

Section  6.  The  exhibitor  of  any  film  shall  show 
to  any  police  officer  of  the  City  of  Portland,  upon 
request,  the  Board's  certificate  of  approval  of  such 
film,  and  in  case  of  failure  to  produce  and  show  such 
certificate,  the  police  officer  may  take  charge  of  the 
film,  which  shall  be  delivered  to  the  Chief  of  Police 
and  kept  in  his  custody  until  acted  upon  by  the 
Board. 

Section  7.  That  Ordinance  No.  28375  entitled 
"An  Ordinance  prohibiting  the  exhibition  of  inde- 
cent, obscene  or  immoral  pictures  in  the  City  of 
Portland,  and  authorizing  the  Chief  of  Police  to  take 
charge  of  all  indecent,  immoral  or  obscene  picture 
films  being  exhibited  in  the  City  of  Portland,  and 
declaring  an  emergency,"  passed  by  the  Council 
January  9,  1914,  and  Ordinance  No.  30154  entitled 
"An  Ordinance  regulating  the  exhibition  of  motion 
pictures,  providing  a  penalty  for  the  violation  there- 
of, and  repealing  all  ordinances  or  parts  of  ordi- 
nances in  conflict  therewith,"  passed  by  the  Council 
February  19,  1915,  be  and  the  same  are  hereby  re- 
pealed, provided  that  the  repeal  of  said  ordinances 
shall  not  affect  any  proceedings  or  prosecutions 
heretofore  instituted  thereunder. 

Section  8.  Any  persons  violating  any  of  the 
provisions  of  this  Ordinance  shall,  upon  conviction 
thereof,  be  punished  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  five 
hundred  dollars   ($500),  or  by  imprisonment   for  a 


130    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

period  not  exceeding  six  months,  or  by  both  such 
fine  and  imprisonment. 

Passed  by  the  Council,  February  7,  1917. 

H.  R.  Albee, 
Mayor  of  the  City  of  Portland. 
Attest:  A.  L.  Barbur, 

Auditor  of  the  City  of  Portland. 
(Copy) 
Present  Ordinance  under  which  Board  works. 

EXTRACTS 


From  Ordinance  Regulating  the  Exhibition  of 

Motion  Pictures 

The    Board   may    refuse   to   approve   any    film 
which : 

1.  Shows  anything  of  an  obscene,  indecent,  or 
immoral  nature. 

2.  Presents  any  gruesome,  revolting  or  disgust- 
ing scene  or  subject. 

3.  Portrays  (in  such  manner  as  to  offend  public 
decency  or  morality)  any  suicide,  murder, 
robbery,  hold-up,  stabbing,  assaulting,  club- 
bing, or  beating. 

4.  Depicts  any  cruelty  to  human  beings  or  ani- 
mals. 

5.  Exhibits  methods  of  crime. 

6.  Tends  to  disturb  the  public  peace. 

The  General  Object  of  Censorship 

The  endeavor  will  be  to  establish  standards  on 
progressive  lines  and  to  keep  motion  pictures,  as  far 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  131 

as  possibic,  within  the  best  interpretation  of  the 
City  Ordinance  and  the  demands  of  public  opinion. 
This  in  effect  will  be  to  restrict  to  such  as  promise 
interesting:,  educational  events,  scenes  or  subjects  ; 
pictures  that  afford  clean,  wholesome,  harmless 
amusement,  and  will  portray  drama  and  will  aim  to 
eliminate  that  which  debases  morals,  or  teaches  im- 
proper adventures  through  suggestion,  or  tends  to 
incite  the  mind  to  acts  of  immorality  or  crime  or 
presents  false  standards  for  character  and  conduct, 
or  shatters  the  better  ideals  of  our  educational,  civic 
and  national  life. 

Sections  1  and  2:  Bar- Room  Scenes,  Drinking 
and  Drunkenness. 

Bar  room  scenes  which  show  any  incident  of  an 
obscene,  indecent  or  immoral  nature,  or  anything 
gruesome,  revolting  or  disgusting,  should  be  elim- 
inated, but  if  such  scenes  are  not  of  undue  length 
and  do  not  predominate,  they  should  be  approved. 
Such  scenes  should  have  a  significance  in  the  story. 

Prolonged  Love  Scenes 
These   should   be    treated    truthfully   and    not 
lengthened  and  cheapened  to  the  extent  of  losing 
their  significance. 

Costuming  and  Insufficient  Clothing 
The  dress  of  characters  must  comply  with  ex- 
isting standards  of  propriety  and  not  be  used  for 
purposes  of  evil  suggestion.  Views  of  characters  in 
one-piece  bathing  suits,  where  obviously  used  for 
suggestive  purposes  or  simply  to  display  the  figure, 
should  be  condemned.     Excessively  short  skirts  for 


MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED  132 

the  purpose  of  displaying  the  legs,  or  gowns  cut  low 
for  suggestive  purposes,  must  be  eliminated.  Frank 
exposure  of  the  person  may  be  less  objectionable 
than  partial  exposure. 

Infidelity  and  Sex  Problem  Scenes. 

Pictures  that  cast  discredit  on  the  marriage 
vow,  or  comedies  that  emphasize  loose  relations,  are 
immoral  and  either  should  be  condemned  or  objec- 
tionable parts  eliminated. 

Problems  of  sex  should  be  treated  with  serious- 
ness and  reserve. 

Sexual  degeneracy,  based  on  the  antics  of  a  per- 
vert, or  any  picture  involving  degeneracy  as  a  theme 
must  be  condemned  altogether. 

Underworld    Scenes,    Opium    Dens,    Objectionable 
Dances,  Questionable  Resorts 

Scenes  which  show  any  incident  of  an  obscene, 
indecent  or  immoral  nature,  or  anything  gruesome, 
revolting  or  disgusting,  should  be  eliminated.  When 
scenes  of  this  type  are  necessary  to  the  story,  they 
will  be  required  to  be  truthful  and  complete,  and 
portrayed  in  such  manner  that  no  one  would  be  led 
to  similar  adventure,  but  would  see  the  sordidness 
and  commercialism  on  which  these  scenes  rest. 

Vulgarity  in  Pictures 
Obscenity,  immorality  or  indecency  must  be 
eliminated.  Actions  by  characters  or  situations  of  a 
decidedly  suggestive  nature,  appealing  to  low 
morals  or  scenes  that  would  familiarize  and  accus- 
tom the  minds  of  young  people  with  the  same,  must 
be  eliminated. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  133 

Eliminate 
(Same  scenes  in  detail.) 

1.  Suggestive  sub-titles  where  they  refer  to  the 
passions  or  implied  immoral  situations. 

2.  Scenes  or  the  nude  on  walls  or  pictures  of  the 
same  where  used  for  suggestion. 

3.  Where  there  is  an  attempt  to  be  vulgar,  shorten 
to  a  flash  scenes  of  girls  in  cabarets,  ballet 
dancers,  dressing  room  scenes,  bedroom  scenes 
in  night  clothes,  or  similar  scenes. 

4.  Peering  through  the  keyhole  at  man  or  woman 
undressed. 

5.  Raising  of  women's  skirts  by  men,  or  by  the 
new  stunt  of  air  suction. 

6.  Loose  pants  or  skirts  not  properly  fastened,  or 
ready  to  fall.  All  indecent  displaying  or  fon- 
dling of  underclothes,  or  night  clothes. 

7.  Close-up  views  of  men  or  women,  in  the  nude, 
swimming  just  under  the  water.  Nude  per- 
sons in  bath  tubs  unless  scene  merely  shows 
the  head. 

8.  Suggestive  rolling  on  women  in  slap-stick,  and 
other  farces  and  comedies. 

9.  The  act  of  a  woman  sitting  on  a  man  even 
though  party  is  dressed  as  a  man,  when  act  is 
vulgar  or  has  a  vulgar  significance. 

10.  Excessive  and  suggestive  wriggling  of  the 
body,  whether  of  a  man  or  a  woman. 

11.  Suggestive  placing  of  legs  over  the  knees  of 
women  or  suggestive  actions  while  a  woman 
sits  on  a  man's  lap  of  a  man,  or  vice  versa. 


134     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

12.  Girls  putting  their  hands  in  men's  trousers  pock- 

ets. 

13.  Making  comedy  oi  women's  busts,  hips  or  legs. 

14.  Scenes  where  men  take  hold  of  women's  legs 
or  ankles  with  a  leer,  or  where  men  are  look- 
ing wistfully  at  woman's  form  in  a  way  to  at- 
tract attention  to  display  of  person. 

15.  Man  or  woman  or  persons  of  opposite  sex  in 
bed  together. 

16.  All  suggestive  actions  or  looks  at  statues  or  the 
draping  of  the  same. 

17.  The  close-up  views  of  dead  people  or  the  treat- 
ment of  wounds. 

18.  Spitting  in  another's  face. 

Section  3 :   Crimes  Against  Property  or  Person. 

The  fact  that  the  motion  picture  is  more  vivid 
than  the  printed  page  naturally  alters  the  question 
of  how  much  detail  can  be  shown  the  public.  For 
instance,  a  printed  description  of  a  burglary  or  oth- 
er crime,  suffering  gruesomeness  and  evil  doing  has 
not  the  same  effect  upon  people  as  when  the  very 
set  is  performed  before  the  eyes.  Undue  and  lengthy 
detail  of  the  above  crimes  should  be  eliminated. 

Suicide  is  so  irreparable  a  crime  and  becomes 
so  suggestive  to  some  people,  that  actual  scenes  and 
methods  must  be  eliminated. 

Insane  characters,  portrayed  in  such  manner  as 
to  harass  the  emotions  and  influence  even  normal 
people,  should  be  eliminated. 

Section  4.  This  section  involves  the  application 
of  Section  3  regarding  elimination  of  crimes  of  vio- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  135 

lencc   against   perscons   and   animals,   especially    in 
reference  to  cruelty.     Eliminate: — 

1.  Torture  scenes,  exhibitions  of  murder,  assas- 
sinations, hangings  or  other  executions. 

2.  Close-up  views  of  horrid,  or  bruised,  or  mu- 
tilated faces,  or  faces  showing  agony  or  suf- 
fering. 

3.  The  struggles  of  drowning  people,  and  the 
close-up  views  of  dead  people's  faces,  floating 
in  the  water. 

4.  Struggls  and  choking  scenes  when  carried  to 
the  point  of  extreme  brutality. 

5.  Branding  of  animals  or  people  in  close-up 
views. 

Section  5  :  Exhibits  of  Methods  of  Committing 
Crime. 

Suggestive  and  instructive  and  ingenious  crim- 
inal methods  must  not  be  exploited  and  if  introduced 
must  be  eliminated.     Eliminate — 

1.  The  cutting  of  a  purse  from  a  woman's  arm  or 
showing  how  to  open  and  extract  money  or 
valuables  from  a  purse. 

2.  The  tampering  with  or  opening  of  doors,  win- 
dows or  safes  by  using  tools  or  instruments. 

3.  The  cutting  of  telephone  or  telegraph  wires 
when  done  with  criminal  intent. 

4.  Tampering  with  railroad  ties  or  rails  for  the 
purpose  of  wrecking  trains. 

5.  Placing  of  funnels  or  tubes  with  bulbs  attached, 
in  key  holes  for  the  purpose  of  sending  fumes 
or  medicine  into  the  room  to  produce  asphyx- 
iation or  acute  sickness. 


136    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

6.  Actual  chloroforming  of  persons,  that  is  the 
detail  of  using  the  chloroform,  or  the  act  of 
using  or  displaying  a  hypodermic  needle  in  any 
suggestive  manner  for  crime. 

7 .  All  sub-titles  or  scenes  where  it  is  implied  that 
a  woman  is  in  a  delicate  condition  and  is  con- 
templating or  planning  to  or  does  visit  a  doc- 
tor for  purpose  of  an  operation. 

8.  When  done  with  criminal  intent,  the  setting 
and  lighting  of  bombs  where  it  is  done  for  the 
purpose  of  destroying  life  or  property. 

9.  The  exhibition  of  methods  of  using  poison, 
drugs,  knockout  drops  and  sleeping  powders. 
Also  the  snuffing  of  cocaine  or  other  drugs, 
smoking  opium,  etc. 

10.  Effects  of  habit-forming  drugs,  unless  portray- 
ed in  a  serious  educational  manner. 

11.  The  detail  of  obtaining  such  drugs  by  easy 
methods. 

12.  The  presentation  of  names  of  habit-forming 
drugs,  either  on  labels  of  bottles  or  by  sub- 
titles. 

13.  Arson  in  any  of  its  various  forms,  throwing  of 
oil,  gasoline,  etc.,  lighting  of  waste  or  paper  to 
set  a  fire. 

14.  All  scenes  of  exchanging  money,  as  if  in  pay- 
ment for  a  girl. 

15.  All  scenes  depicting  black-mail. 

16.  Gambling  scenes  that  are  introduced  merely 
for  entertainment,  or  that  show  in  elaborate 
and  instructive  detail  the  paraphernalia  and 
methods1  of  gambling.    These  are  always  ques- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  137 

tionablc  and  should  be  eliminated.  It  should 
be  kept  in  mind  that  gambling  is  illegal,  and, 
like  other  crimes,  should  be  chosen  to  be  shown 
only  when  essential  to  the  story  and  without 
detail. 

Section  6:   Race  Prejudice,  Sacrilege  and  Allied 
Subjects. 

Reverence  is  general  and  all  sacred  forces 
should  be  carefully  respected. 

Pictures  which  in  effect,  as  a  whole  or  in  part, 
hold  up  to  ridicule  any  religious  sect,  sacred  thing 
or  rite,  should  not  be  passed,  and  if  so  all  objection- 
able scenes  should  be  eliminated.  This  also  applies 
to  scenes  that  portray  in  an  objectionable  manner 
any  race  of  people  or  characteristic. 

Although  there  is  quite  a  unifomity  of  ideals  in 
American  national  life — political  and  social — yet 
there  is  always  some  local,  recognized  coloring  or 
prejudice. 

It  is  possible  that  these  differences  might  have 
undue  emphasis  or  in  case  of  national  differences, 
the  treatment  might  become  libelous. 

In  such  instances  the  portrayal  must  be  con- 
sidered as  subject  to  censorship,  must  be  interpreted 
with  due  regard  to  any  sectional,  national  or  class 
prejudice,  regardless  of  any  bias  or  taste  of  a  viewer. 

Disrespect  for  law  or  public  officers,  enforcing 
same,   whether   in    action,   sub-title   or   suggestion, 


138    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

must  be  eliminated.  This  would  involve  ridicule  of 
law  enforcement  or  burlesque  of  an  apparent  mis- 
carriage of  justice. 

Lengthy   portrayal   of    riot    scenes   should   be 
shortened  to  mere  fact  or  event  of  current  news. 

7.     A  QUESTION  IN  ETHICS. 


DOES  THE  END  JUSTIFY  THE  MEANS? 


Does  the  Usual  "Moral"  of  the  Story  Aid  the  Youth 
in  Forgetting  the  Shocking  Details? 


Is  the  "Moral"  the  Primary  and  Main  Thing,  or  Is 

It  Merely  Incidental — a  Convenient  Form  of 

Subterfuge  or  Camouflage? 


"At  the  outset  the  vampire  is  very  much  in  evi- 
dence.    She  is  the  'wickedest  woman  in  Paris',  the 
maddest  devotee  of  the  demi-world's  mad  gayety. 
Her  lovers  are  legion,  and  she  leads  them  a  pace 
that  sets  her  world  gasping. 

"Then  she  meets  a  sculptor  who,  unconscious  of 

her  past,  sees  only  her  beauty,  loves  her,  and  asks 
her  to  pose  for  a  statue  of  the  Madonna.  The  re- 
quest touches  unsuspected  depths  in  the  woman's 
soul  and  she  sets  her  feet  upon  the  unknown  paths 
of  regeneration. 

"It  is  a  stormy  way,  but  she  fights  through  to 
victory,  risking  even  life  itself  to  win  throgh.  And 
the  love  of  the  one  man  awaits  her  victory. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  139 

"BLIND  PASSION  PLAYS  A  BIG  PART  IN 
THIS  DRAMA  OF  GAY  PARIS  LIFE. 

"YOU  SEE  GAY  CAFE  LIFE  AND  THE 
UNDERGROUND  HAUNTS  OF  THE  PARI- 
SIAN RESORTS. 

"YOU  SEE  THE  WICKEDEST  WOMAN  IN 
PARIS  IN  ALL  HER  ENTICING  BEAUTY. 

"IT  IS  A  PLAY  OF  A  WOMAN  THAT 
EVERY  MAN,  WOMAN  AND  CHILD  SHOULD 
SEE." 

Hundreds  of  children  saw  this  picture  in  To- 
ledo. The  question  of  children  attending  shows  un- 
chaperoned  is  vital.  But  the  greater  question,  viz., 
the  educational,  moral  and  social  influence  upon  all 
ages,  makes  it  a  community  problem. 

Do  you  think  that  this  properly  "is  a  play  of  a 
woman  that  every  man,  woman  and  child  should 
see?" 


8.    THE  CARICATURING  OF  THE 

PROTESTANT   MINISTRY   IN 

PUBLIC    MOTION 

PICTURES 


In  the  Federal  Council  Bulletin,  a  journal  of  re 
ligious     co-operation     and     inter-church     activities, 
the  following  communication  is  given  : 

In  response  to  a  letter  from  Dr.  Charles  S. 
Macfarland,  General  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Coun- 
cil, the  National  Board  of  Review  of  Motion  Pic- 
tures has   issued  a    Bulletin   to  the  motion   picture 


140    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZE!) 

trade  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  Church  peo- 
ple are  objecting  to  the  frequent  and  unnecessary 
caricaturing  of  Protestant  ministers  on  the  motion 
picture  screen.  The  letter  by  Dr.  Macfarland  and 
the  Bulletin  from  the  National  Board  of  Review 
follow:  , .  .tJIA 

"The  attention  of  the  Federal  Council  has  sev- 
eral times  been  called  to  the  allegation  that  in  the 
moving  picture  films  it  frequently  happens  that 
Protestant  ministers  are  brought  into  the  scene  in 
ridiculous  and  humiliating  manner.     *     *     * 

"I  would  strongly  advise  that  due  care  be  given 
to  these  matters.  I  have  myself  noted  some  of  the 
pictures  outside  the  moving  picture  houses  which 
seemed  to  me  to  bear  out  these  charges. 

"I  commend  the  matter  to  your  thoughtful  con- 
sideration." 

Official  Bulletin  from  National  Board  of  Review  of 

Motion  Pictures 

"The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ 
in  America,  representing  a  combined  constituency 
of  thirty  denominations  with  125,000  churches,  has 
referred  to  the  National  Board  of  Review  a  matter 
of  business  policy  on  the  part  of  some  producing 
companies  which  should  receive  immediate  atten- 
tion. It  appears  that  motion  picture  films  fre- 
quently present  on  the  screen  scenes  in  which 
Protestant  ministers  are  portrayed  in  a  ridiculous 
and  humiliating  manner. 

"There  are  in  the  United  States  60,000,000  per- 
sons, adherents  of  the  various  Protestant  Churches. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  141 

The  vast  majority  of  these  attend  motion  picture 
theatres.  To  witness  the  burlesquing  and  conse- 
quent humiliation  of  ministers  of  the  Gospel  on  the 
motion  picture  screen  naturally  offends  these 
church-going  people  and  alienates  from  the  motion 
picture  theatre  many  persons  who  otherwise  would 
enjoy  the  entertainment  presented.     *     *     * 

"A  general  policy  should  be  rigidly  adhered  to 
by  all  producing  companies  not  to  portray  ministers 
of  any  denomination,  whether  Protestant,  Catholic 
or  Jewish,  in  a  manner  which  would  hold  them  up 
to  ridicule  or  humiliate  them  and  thus  offend  the 
thousands  of  persons  to  whom  the  profession  min- 
isters. 

"The  National  Board  of  Review  in  conducting 
its  campaign  against  the  political  appointment  of 
legal  censors  has  had  the  support  of  many  religious 
organizations.  The  Federal  Council  of  Churches  is 
represented  on  the  General  Committee  of  the  Na- 
tional Board. 

"The  Motion  Picture  Industry  cannot  expect 
the  respect  and  support  of  the  Church  members  of 
the  country  unless  greater  care  is  exercised  to  avoid 
offending  the  sensibilities  of  these  estimable  people. 

"Please  bring  the  above  to  the  attention  of  all 
persons  connected  with  your  company  charged  with 
the  production  of  films.  The  above  does  not  imply 
that  the  Federal  Council  or  the  National  Board  de- 
sires to  shield  the  Church  from  such  legitimate  pre- 
sentations as  might  be  seriously  portrayed  in  a  dig- 
nified manner  through  the  medium  of  the  motion 
picture.     It  does  mean,  however,  that  thoughtless, 


142    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

unjust  and  ridiculous  presentations  further  no 
worthy  purpose  and  alienate  people  from  the  mo- 
tion picture  who  otherwise  might  be  its  friends.'' 

9.    LITERATURE  ON  THE  EDUCATIONAL 

SIGNIFICANCE  OF  THE  VALUE  OF 

SUPERVISED  PLAY 


General  Reading 

1.  Education.  Thru  Play,  H.  S.  Curtis,  1915 

2.  Manual  of  Play,  VV.  B.  Forbush,  1914. 

3.  The  Play  of  Animals,  Karl  Gross,  1898. 

4.  The  Play  of  Man,  Karl  Gross,  1901. 

5.  Education  Thru  Recreation,  Cleveland  Survey, 
1916. 

6.  Play  in  Education,  Joseph  Lee,  1915. 

10.  Evening  Recreation  Centers,  Russell  Sage 
Foundation,  Rec.  76. 

8.  How  to  Start  a  Social  Center,  Russell  Sage 
Foundation,  Rec.  83. 

9.  How  the  Social  Center  Promotes  Reform 
Movements,  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Rec. 
131. 

10.  Evening  Recreation  Centers  ,  Russel  Sage 
Foundation,  Rec.  85. 

11.  Unused  Recreational  Resources  of  the  Aver- 
age Community,  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Rec. 
104. 

12.  Social  and  Civic  Centers — American  Unitarian 
Association  (Boston)  Bulletin  23. 

13.  The  Biblical  World  (monthly  periodical)  Chi- 
cago University. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  143 

14.  Association  Boys  (magazine.) 

15.  Self-Governing  Clubs,  Winifred  Buck,  1903. 

16.  The  Church  and  Young  Men,  F.  G.  Cressey, 
1903. 

15.  Training  the  Church  for  the  Future,  Francis 
E.  Clark,  1902. 

16.  Educational  Value  of  Play — Education  in  Re- 
ligion and  Morals,  G.  A.  Coe,  1911. 

17.  The     Church     School     of     Citizenship,     Allan 
Hoben,   1918. 

18.  The  Social  Survey,  Carol  Aronovici,   1916. 

19.  The    Immigrant    and    the    Community,    Grace 
Abbott. 

20.  The    Reconstruction    of    the    Church,    P.    M. 
Strayer. 

21.  The  Christian  Ministry  and  Social   Problems, 
C.  D.  Williams. 

22.  The  Institutional  Church,  Hodges  and  Richert. 

23.  The  Church  and  Socfety,  R.  F.  Cutting. 

24.  Social  Diagnosis,  Mary  Richmond. 

25.  The  Playground,  1  Madison  Avenue,  N.  Y. 

26.  The  Survey,  New  York  City. 

27.  The  Community  Survey  in  Relation  to  Church 
Efficiency,  Chas.  E.  Carroll,  1915. 

28.  The  Backward  Child,  B.  S.  Morgan,  1914. 

29.  Church  and  People  at  Play,  Henry  A.  Atkin- 
son. 

Special  Reading 

1.  Movies  in  Education. 

2.  Motion  Pictures  for  Children  in  School,  Scien- 
tific American,  Aug.  26,  1916. 


144     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

3.  Educational   Possibilities   of   Motion   Pictures, 
Educational  Review,  Nov.,  1915. 

4.  How  We  Put  the  Movies  in  Our  School,  De- 
lineator, June,  1915. 

5.  Motion    Picture     Library,    Harper's    Weekly, 
Dec.  25,  1915. 

How  the  Movies  May  Function  in  Civic  Education 

1.     City  Activities,  Outlook,  Jan.  3,  1917. 

2.  Health   and   Welfare,   American    City,    Route- 
zahn,  May,  1917. 

3.  Safety  First,  Literary  Digest,  May  5,  1917. 

4.  Government  Lecture  Service,  Collier's,  July  8, 
1916. 

5.  Civic  Education  Thru  the  Movies,  Craftsmen, 
Sept.,  1915. 

In  Industry 

1.  Movies  in  Industry,  Illustrated  W'orld,  March, 
1917. 

2.  Movies  in  Industrial  Education,  Manual  Train- 
ing, June,  1916. 

In  Religion 

1.  Progress  of  the  Race,  Current  Opinion,  Dec, 
1916. 

2.  Value   of   Missionary   Motion   Pictures,   S.   R. 
Vinton,  June,  1917. 

3.  Movies   in   Church   Work,    Everybody's,   Feb., 
1917. 

4.  Movies  in  Church  Work,  Ladies'  Home  Jour- 
nal, June,  1917. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  14( 


25,000    TOLEDO    CHILDREN    UNDER    18 

VISIT  MOTION  PICTURE  SHOWS 

EVERY  WEEK 

This  is  the  kind  they  prefer : 

Boys 

63%  21%  14%  2% 

Adventure       Comic       Educational       Pathetic 

Girls 

25%  19%  25%  31% 

Adventure       Comic       Educational       Pathetic 
—Toledo  Child  Welfare  Exhibit. 


146    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 


CHAPTER  III. 

QUESTIONS,  METHODS  AND  INVEST1GA 

TIONS 


1.  What  percentage  of  "Juvenile  Delinquency  is 
traceable  to  the  "Movies"  in  your  City? 

2.  Are  amusements  good  or  bad  per  se,  or  would 
they  function  better  under  city  control?  Dis- 
cuss. 

3.  Has  your  City  a  Director  of  Public  Play? 

4.  What  are  the  advantages  of  good  recreation  ? 

5.  What  are  advantages  of  the  public  Motion  Pic- 
ture?    Enumerate  and  Discuss. 

6.  What  are  the  disadvantages?  Enumerate  and 
Discuss. 

7.  Does  the  ratio  of  60-40,that  is,  60%  poor  and 
40%  good  pictures  justify  our  present  inactiv- 
ity and  laissez-faire  policy? 

8.  Will  the  principle  of  "local  option,"  as  applied 
to  neighborhood  amusements,  properly  func- 
tion in  a  democracy? 

9.  WThat  are  the  most  dangerous  forms  of  amuse- 
ment, and  why? 

10.  Is  the  phrase,  "The  Kingdom  of  God,"  a  meta- 
physical or  theological  term,  or  is  it  identical 
with  a  "perfect  society"  and  "an  ideal  social 
order?"     Discuss. 

11.  Through  what  social  agencies  does  the  aver- 
age church  work  in  the  community?  Are  these 
adequate? 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  147 

12.  Does  the  popularity  of  the  saloon  and  public 
dance  hall  indicate  a  shortage  of  suitable  pro- 
vision for  social  exchange  in  our  modern  so- 
ciety? 

13.  To  what  degree  is  church  federation  practiced 
in  your  community. 

14.  Do  you  tolerate  the  discussion  of  public  ques- 
tions in  your  Church?    Discuss. 

15.  What  provision  for  social  life  do  you  have  in 
your  church?  Have  you  a  Boys'  Scout  and 
Girls'  Scout  organization?  Are  you  familiar 
with  the  work  and  ideals  of  the  Boys'  and 
Girls'  Scouts? 

16.  Have  you  any  sympathy  for  the  work  of  the 
Lord's  Day  Alliance  of  Ohio?  If  Sabbath  laws 
are  enforced  what  hardship  would  be  imposed 
on  the  laboring  man?  Would  this  be  advis- 
able?    Discuss  freely. 

17.  What  do  you  think  about  the  creation  of  a  law 
which    would    keep    children    away    from    the 

streets  and  out  of  Motion  Picture  houses  after 
9  o'clock  in  the  evening?     Discuss. 

18.  Which  is  the  greatest  factor,  parental  control 
or  legal  control?  Discuss.  Apply  to  general 
subject  of  amusements. 

19.  Is  "man  a  free  moral  agent,"  or  is  he  shaped  by 
the  customs  and  environment  of  his  social  in- 
heritance?   Discuss  freely. 

20.  Is  this  "the  age  of  the  child?"  If  so,  what  are 
the  special  things  of  an  educational  nature  that 
are  being  done  for  him? 

21.  What  is  the  fallacy  of  the  "pouring  in  by  the 


148    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

ladle"  method  of  instruction?    Apply  it  to  the 
subject  under  discussion. 

22.  Is  this  but  another  note  of  pessimism  and  de- 
structive criticism  against  amusements  in  gen- 
eral, and  motion  pictures  in  particular,  or  is  it 
a  serious  attempt  to  diagnose  a  possible  dis- 
ease and  suggest  the  proper  remedy  for  its 
cure?     Discuss  and  criticise  freely. 

23.  What  conditions  tend  to  make  possible  juvenile 
delinquency  in  Toledo? 

24.  What  social  influences  in  the  community  are 
favorable  to  family  solidarity? 


SECTION  FOUR 

Non-Commercialized 
Amusements    and 
Community  Work 
Among  the  Young 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  151 

NON-COMMERCIALIZED  AMUSEMENTS 

AND  COMMUNITY  WORK  AMONG 

THE  YOUNG 


1.  The  Art  Museum  of  Toledo 
This  institution  is  serving  many  types  of  youth 
and  in  a  marked  educational  and  constructive  man- 
ner. To  the  great  credit  of  both  Director  and  Mrs. 
George  W.  Stevens,  the  child  regardless  of  race, 
creed,  color  or  social  status  may  have  the  chance 
of  coming  in  touch  with  the  aesthetic  and  beautiful. 
Among  the  three  thousand  or  more  city's  youth  that 
gather  here  each  week  for  recreation  and  entertain- 
ment may  be  noted  the  street  gamin  and  the  chil- 
dren of  the  well-to-do.  Democracy  among  the  chil- 
dren at  its  best  may  here  be  seen.  Many  volunteers 
possessed  of  the  child  vision  and  the  social  mind, 
altho  "busy"  people  during  the  week,  realize  the 
great  possibilities  of  this  work  with  the  children. 

Among  these  friends  of  museum  children  are 
found  many  teachers  in  the  schools,  office  and  busi- 
ness women,  in  addition  to  members  of  some  of  the 
art  societies.  Miss  Caroline  Morgan,  art  instructor 
in  Scott  High  school,  is  chairman  of  large  gallery, 
No.  2.  Mrs.  Kate  Brainard  Lamb  and  Miss  Lula 
Snell,  of  the  Athena  Society,  and  Miss  Irene  Han- 
sen, member  of  Mrs.  Stevens'  Tuesday  night  class 
for  busy  girls,  are  on  her  committee.  This  group 
talk  to  the  children,  always  informally,  on  the  tem- 
porary exhibitions,  the  great,  vigorous  paintings  by 
Jonas  Lie,  the  subjects  for  many  of  which  are 
Panama  Canal  scenes,  now  in  this  gallery,  lending 


152    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

themselves  splendidly  to  the  scheme.  Miss  Grace 
Spayd  is  in  charge  of  gallery  number  1,  modern 
European  paintings. 

Miss  Maud  CannifT,  history  instructor  of  Scott 
High,  has  taken  charge  of  the  Egyptian  gallery  with 
the  help  of  Miss  Olive  Kirby,  Miss  Charlotte  Bis- 
sell  and  Miss  Louise  Pray.    Miss  Emma  Fenneberg, 
of  Scott  High,  has  the  pottery  gallery.     Miss  Nat- 
alie Mather  is  chairman  of  the  old  masters'  gallery, 
and  Miss  Fredricks  Hansen,  Miss  Eleanor  Claflin 
and   Miss  Adams   have   charge  of  sculpture   court. 
These  three  girls  are  in  Mrs.  Stevens'  evening  class. 
They  are  all  ward  school  teachers.     Miss  Winifred 
Schulte   is   chairman  of  the   print   gallery.     She   is 
treasurer  in  the  terminal  office.     She  is  assisted  by 
Miss  Bertha  Bayer,  librarian  at  Kent  library,  Verna 
Schliesser,  who  is  in  the  Simmons  Boot  &  Shoe  Co.'s 
office,  and  Mrs.  J.  J.  Long,  Jr.,  a  young  mother,  who 
does  all  of  her  own  housework  and  finds  time  for 
this  distinctive  bit  of  service  besides. 

Miss  Ruth  Elgutter  in  the  mayor's  office,  City 
Hall,  has  been  coming  all  winter  on  Sundays  to  help 
with  the  children,  having  offered  her  services  long 
before  the  committee  known  as  friends  of  museum 
children  was  formed.  She  has  now  taken  charge  of 
the  $30,000  collection  of  dolls. 

The  other  members  of  this  committee  are  as 
follows :  Miss  Etta  Mae  Barkdull,  Miss  Marie 
Bradley,  Miss  Virginia  Brown,  Miss  Myrtilla  Has- 
kins,  Miss  Bertha  Lecklider,  .Miss  Ila  Parks,  Miss 
Mary  Perkins,  Miss  Sophia  Refior,  Miss  Florence 
Sprague,  Miss  Mona  Taylor,  Miss  Margaret  Schaff. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  15$ 

Miss  Sara   Waite,   Miss  Anna   Commagcr  and   Mr. 
Morrison  Wan  Cleve. 

With   the   fine   weather  of   May   and   June   will 
come  a  new  development  of  the  friends  of  museum 
children.     Organized  play  each  Saturday  and  Sun- 
day in  the  vacant  lot  opposite  the  museum  on  Mon- 
roe street  will  be  instituted  by  Miss  Jessica  Mar- 
shall, principal  of  Newton  school,  and  a  group  of 
young  women  from  the  Law  Kindergarten  Training 
school.     Our   Puritan   ancestors   may  turn  over   in 
their  graves  at  the  thought  of  Sunday  play  for  chil- 
dren, but  these  leaders  of  youth  believe  with  Robert 
Louis  Stevenson  that  "happy  play  in  grassy  places" 
will  help  children  to  "grow  in  saints  and  sages"  just 
as  it  did  in  ancient  ages  and  that  happy  hearts  and 
happy  faces  will  be  the  outgrowth  of  this  outdoor 
old-fashioned  play  for  museum  children.     This  part 
of   the   work   is   really   an   "outgrow  to   saints   and 
sages"  just  as  in  Play  Week,  in  which  Toledo  par- 
ticipated last  September  under  the  direction  of  Miss 
Marshall.    The  Law  girls  who  will  assist  are  as  fol- 
lows:    The  Misses  Miller,  Kopitke,  Bennett,  Hoz- 
zart,  Coldham,  Bradley,  Lutz,  Winterhofr,  Kennedy, 
Heisland,    Richards,    Oechsler,    Tarlofr,    Westfall, 
Kobacker,    Cordill,    Sullivan,   ,\Y.    Smith,    Griffith, 
Brenner,  M.  Smith,  Law  and  Swigart. 

Story  Hour  Popular 

For  several  seasons  there  have  been  the  regular 
story  hours  each  Saturday  and  Sunday  at  the 
museum  for  the  children,  under  direction  of  Miss 
Elizabeth  Jane  Merrill.  Miss  Lina  C.  Keith  and 
her  committees  have  instituted  opera  hours,  when 


154    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

grand  opera  has  been  made  intelligible  and  delight- 
ful for  children.  Motion  pictures  have  been  shown 
weekly  on  both  Saturday  and  Sunday.  Prof.  Van- 
Cleve's  vacation  classes  in  bird  and  nature  story 
have  drawn  large  followings  of  children  of  the  most 
democratic  type. 

Perhaps  the  most  gigantic  event  ever  planned 
for  museum  children  was  the  Burroughs  Day  cele- 
bration held  one  year  ago  this  month,  when  the  aged 
naturalist  was  the  city's  honored  guest  and  when, 
for  more  than  two  hours,  he  stood  on  the  steps  of 
the  Museum  to  receive  the  veneration  and  homage 
of  Toledo  children,  who  50,000  strong  marched  be- 
fore him  with  steady  tramp,  tramp,  tramp  during 
the  whole  two  hours,  casting  beautiful  flowers  at  his 
feet. 

One  can  look  into  the  years  and  see  how  the 
Toledo  Museum  of  Art  is  laying  up  for  itself 
''friends"  for  a  later  day.  Think  you  not  that  some 
future  captain  of  industry  is  not  now  among  those 
shabby  little  folk  who  frequent  its  activities?  And 
will  he  not  remember,  when  name  and  fame  have 
come  to  him,  the  institution  which  gave  him  the 
first  square  deal  he  ever  had  as  a  little  lad?  Trained 
in  art  as  Toledo  youth  must  become  under  such 
splendid  leadership,  the  nouveau  riche  of  a  future 
generation  in  Toledo  will  model  their  homes  and 
their  surroundings  along  those  lines  of  harmony  and 
proportion  learned  as  a  child,  and  our  streets  will 
be  spared  monstrosities  of  architecture  and  innane 
sense  of  what  is  really  beautiful,  learned  at  our  art 
center  in  the  tender  years  of  youth. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  155 

OLD-TIME  GAMES  TO  BE  REVIVED. 


Museum  to  Start  Supervised  Outdoor  Sport— Many 
Volunteer  Their  Services. 

Outdoor  games  for  Toledo  children  will  be  or- 
ganized on  Saturday  and  Sunday  afternoons,  May 
10  and  11,  on  the  grounds  of  the  Toledo  Museum  of 

Art. 

The  Museum  offers  the  children  the  use  of  the 
spacious  yard  to  revive  the  old-fashioned  games, 
which  have  been  abandoned  because  of  lack  of  room. 
Children  have  had  to  turn  to  games  they  can  play 
in  the  streets. 

Every  Saturday  and  Sunday  afternoon  during 
the  summer  there  will  be  supervised  outdoor  play  at 
the  Museum.  It  will  be  directed  from  1 :30  to  3 
o'clock  on  Saturday,  and  from  2  until  4  o'clock  on 
Sunday.  The  game  work  is  part  of  the  national 
plan  to  develop  in  American  children  the  sense  of 
fair  play,  obedience  and  sportsnnanshij>. 

Miss  Jessica  Marshall,  as  chairman  of  the 
Recreation  Committee,  is  conducting  the  organiza- 
tion work.  Four  trained  young  women  from  the 
Law-Froebel  Kindergarten  Training  School  will  be 
in  charge  of  the  children  each  afternoon.  Those 
from  the  Law  School  who  have  volunteered  their 
services  are  Misses  Miller.  Kopitke,  Bennett,  Haz- 
zard,  Coldham.  Bradley.  Lutz,  Winterhoff.  Ken- 
nedy, Heisland,  Richards.  Oechsler,  Tarlofr,  West- 
fall,  Kobacker,  Cordill,  Smith,  Griffith,  Brenner, 
Law,  Fuzert,  Latham. 


156    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 
2.     THE  CATHOLIC  COMMUNITY   HOUSE 


A  movement  started  by  the  Toledo  Catholic 
Women's  League  and  in  harmony  with  community 
center  work  outlined  by  the  National  Catholic  War 
Council,  has  been  started  in  this  city.  The  pre- 
amble of  their  constitution  reads  as  follows : 

Purpose  Is  Stated 

"We,  the  Catholic  Women  of  the  Diocese  of 
Toledo,  in  order  to  effect  a  more  perfect  union  of 
the  Catholic  women's  societies,  without  destroying 
the  individuality  of  any  of  them ;  to  enlarge  and 
promote  Catholic  charitable  and  social  activities ;  to 
aid  in  the  promotion  of  citizenship  and  reconstruc- 
tion work;  in  a  word,  to  protect  and  defend  the  in- 
tests  of  our  faith,  do  hereby  ordain  and  proclaim 
this  Constitution  and  By-Laws." 

The  old  Ursuline  Convent  on  Cherry  street  has 
been  secured  on  a  lease  and  it  is  planned  to  make 
extensive  arrangemnts  for  community  welfare 
work.  The  head  resident  is  Miss  Edna  Messer- 
schmitt,  formerly  of  the  East  St.  Louis  center.  A 
membership  for  5,000  women  is  already  started. 
The  building  is  expected  to  be  complete  in  a  few 
months.  A  home  for  transient,  homeless  and 
poorly-paid  girl  workers  will  be  provided.  Thirty 
rooms  with  an  addition  of  one  hundred  more  is  one 
of  the  features.  An  auditorium  seating  500,  a  gym- 
nasium, library,  attractive  reception  room  and  re- 
fectory, domestic  science  and  other  class  rooms,  as 
also  all  the  comforts  and  provisions  of  a  cheerful 
and  attractive  place  is  contemplated, 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  157 

In  this  center  every  Catholic  club  or  society 
will  find  a  rendezvous.  The  executive  board  will 
feature  lectures  and  other  entertainments  of  an  edu- 
cational or  social  character.  There  will  be  lessons 
in  sewing  and  other  industrial  arts,  tea  rooms  and 
equipment  for  indoor  games.  In  the  open  court 
behind  the  high  stone  wall  will  be  tennis  courts, 
croquet  and  other  lawn  diversions. 

And  there  will  be  continual  "open  house." 
Think,  mothers  of  daughters  in  sheltered  homes, 
what  this  will  mean  to  the  girl  who  has  no  place  in 
which  to  seek  legitimate  amusement  and  nowhere 
in  which  to  entertain  her  friends! 

Girls  in  all  the  industrial  plants  will  be  reached 
thru  their  employers  and  invited  to  make  the  com- 
munity house  their  social  center.  Clubs  will  be 
formed  in  the  various  factories,  which  will  find  a 
meeting  place  and  supervised  diversions  at  the 
Community  House. 

Nor  will  the  work  of  Americanization  be  al- 
lowed to  lack  the  support  and  active  co-operation 
of  the  league.  A  Catholic  community  center,  which 
will  be  in  readiness  to  open  its  doors  in  two  weeks, 
has  been  established  at  Genesee  and  Ann  streets,  in 
the  heart  of  the  Hungarian  district.  The  first  floor 
of  this  center  will  be  devoted  entirely  to  activities 
for  foreign  men.  There  will  be  a  billiard  room, 
library,  game  room  and  auditorium.  A  paid  worker 
will  always  be  in  charge  and  an  Americanization 
program  to  prepare  foreigners  for  citizenship  will 
be  actively  promoted.  Men  and  women  will  be 
taught  the  use  of  English  in  30  lessons  by  Roberts' 


158    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

direct  method,  the  same  which  was  used  in  the  can- 
tonments with  foreign  draftees,  material  being  fur- 
nished the  center  directly  from  the  Department  of 
the  Interior  at  Washington.  Roberts'  method  is 
that  of  assembling  the  word  with  the  object  and 
dramatizing  the  action  involved.  Its  results  are 
said  to  be  phenomenal. 

Other  aims  of  the  league  will  be  to  better  so- 
cial and  industrial  conditions  and  to  investigate 
and  counteract  the  causes  underlying  poverty  and 
delinquency. 

Mrs.  A.  J.  Reynolds,  who  managed  the  mem- 
bership campaign  for  the  new  Toledo  Woman's 
Club,  about  to  be  opened  on  Superior  street,  and 
who  was  at  the  head  of  the  Service  League  which 

conducted  all  canvasses  for  the  woman's  committee 
of   the    Council   of   National    Defense,   will   act   as 

campaign   chairman   for  the   membership   drive   of 

the   league.     She   will   secure   her   workers   chiefly 

from  members  of  the  Red  Cross  auxiliaries  in  each 

parish. 

Officers  of  the  Catholic  Woman's  League  are 
as  follows :  Honorary  president,  Bishop  Joseph 
Schrembs ;  spiritual  director,  Rev.  Karl  Alter,  dio- 
cesan director  of  charities  and  benovelence ;  presi- 
dent, Mrs.  Edward  F.  Brucker ;  first  vice-president, 
Mrs.  James  E.  Pilliod ;  second  vice-president,  Mrs. 
A.  J.  Girardot ;  third  vice-president,  Mrs.  H.  Mann  ; 
fourth  vice-president,  Mrs.  C.  Kayser;  recording 
secretary,  Miss  Lillian  C.  O'Brien ;  corresponding 
secretary,   Mrs.   Bertram   Morrow;   financial   secre- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  159 

tary,  Miss  Alary  Gilday ;  treasurer,  Miss  Katherine 
Wernert;  monitor,  Mrs.  William  Weideman. 

Chairman  of  special  committees  already  ap- 
pointed are  as  follows :  Social  service,  Miss  Edna 
Messerschmitt ;  publicity,  Mrs.  Agnes  Kountz  Diet- 
helm  ;  membership,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Reynolds  ;  purchas- 
ing, Mrs.  S.  C.  Lauber. 


COMMUNITY  HOUSE  FORMALLY  OPENED 


Two    Thousand     Persons     Attend     Dedication    at 
Genessee  and  Ann  Streets. 


IS  TO  BE  NON-SECTARIAN 


Purpose  to  Minister  to  All  People  of  Section — Rev. 
Karl  Alter  and  Others  Speak. 

More  than  2,000  persons  were  present  when  the 
formal  opening  of  the  community  house,  Genessee 
and  Ann  Streets,  to  be  operated  under  the  National 
Catholic  War  Council,  took  place  yesterday  after- 
noon. 

Patriotic  addresses  in  which  the  importance  of 
cinveying  the  word  of  Americanization  to  all  cor- 
ners of  the  city,  were  made. 

Lauding  the  purposes  for  which  the  commun- 
ity house  was  established,  Rev.  Karl  J.  Alter  of  St. 
Anthony's  orphanage,  described  it  as  "a  place 
where  the  older  Americans  may  meet  the  newer 
Americans." 


160     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

This  sentiment  was  repeated  by  J.  Guinther, 
who  spoke  in  the  Hungarian  language. 

Addresses  also  were  made  by  Rev.  Louis 
Bogar,  pastor  of  the  Protestant  Reformed  Hungar- 
ian church ;  Rev.  A.  Komporday,  East  Side  Protest- 
ant pastor,  and  Rev.  E.  G.  Eordogh,  pastor  of  St. 
Stephen's  Catholic  church.  Representatives  of 
many  Hungarian  societies  were  present. 

The  exercises  opened  with  the  singing  of 
"The  Star-Spangled  Banner." 

The  community  house,  while  under  Catholic 
direction,  is  to  be  non-sectarian  and  thru  its  vari- 
ous agencies  the  center  will  minister  to  all  persons 
in  that  section  of  the  city  without  regard  to  religi- 
ous preferences.  Miss  Edna  Messerschmitt  is  to 
be  in  charge  of  the  house. 

Visitors  were  shown  thru  the  house  yesterday. 
The  house  has  an  auditorium  with  a  seating  capac- 
ity of  150  persons,  besides  the  committee  room, 
office,  billiard  room,  card  room,  English  class  room, 
tea  room,  rest  room,  domestic  science  room  and 
music  room.  Classes  in  English,  domestic  and 
music  roim.  Classes  in  English,  domestic  Science 
and  music  are  to  be  given  special  attention. — The 
Times,  June  2,  1919. 


3.  STORY  HOURS  AT  TOLEDO'S  LIBRARIES 


An  institution  of  tremendous  influence  has  been 
added  this  year  to  Toledo's  facilities  for  educating 
and  developing  the  city's  children. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  161 

For  several  years  the  Toledo  Public  Library 
has  conducted  occasional  story-hour  periods  ior 
young  children.  But  they  were  held  at  irregular 
intervals  and  the  number  of  children  reached  was 
always  small.  The  completion  of  the  five  new- 
branch  libraries  provided  a  means  by  which  the 
story  hour  could  be  taken  into  every  section  of  the 
city  and  made  available  to  man}'  more  children. 
About  the  first  of  this  year  it  was  made  a  part  of 
the  regular  program  at  each  of  the  libraries.  Each 
Saturday  afternoon  the  libraries  at  each  branch  and 
at  the  main  library  narrate  to  large  groups  of  eager, 
interested  little  ones,  some  of  the  best  of  the  world's 
child  stories. 

Library  Auditoriums  Crowded 

The  results  of  this  program  are  already  becom- 
ing astounding.  Interest  in  the  story  hour,  as 
measured  by  attendance,  has  been  cumulative  from 
week  to  week,  until  the  capacity  of  the  libraries  is 
already  being  taxed  to  accommodate  the  crowds 
that  want  to  hear  the  stories.  As  many  as  300  chil- 
dren have  appeared  at  a  single  branch  on  a  Satur- 
day afternoon,  to  attend  the  story  hour.  Because 
the  auditoriums  in  the  libraries  are  small,  it  has 
been  necessary  to  handle  the  crowds  in  three  install- 
ments, telling  the  stories  of  the  afternoon  to  one 
group  after  another. 

Publicity  Causes  Jump  in  Attendance 

The  greatest  jump  in.  attendance  occurred  after 
a  notice  had  been  inserted  in  the  newspapers,  an- 
nouncing the  Saturday  afternoon   program.     Tllus- 


162     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

trating  this  sudden  increase,  the  attendance  at 
Jermain  branch  was  typical  of  that  throughout  the 
city.  On  January  11th,  40  children  attended  the 
story  hours  at  that  branch.  The  following  Satur- 
day, after  the  newspapers  had  carried  an  announce- 
ment of  the  story  hours,  208  children  crowded  into 
the  same  library.  The  increase  was  so  great  that 
it  was  considered  more  than  the  libraries  could 
properly  handle  and  little  further  publicity  was 
given  the  weekly  event.  Attendance  dropped  the 
following  week  to  172  and  then  to  75.  Since  that 
time  there  has  been  a  gradual  increase  from  week 
to  week,  as  interest  spreads  among  the  children  of 
the  several  communities. 

Special  Training  Given  Librarians 
To  insure  the  success  of  the  story-hour  pro- 
ject, Librarian  Herbert  Hirshberg  made  careful 
preparations.  Recognizing  the  importance  of  the 
entire  juvenile  department  of  the  public  library 
system,  he  added  to  the  library  staff  a  supervisor 
of  children's  work,  and  brought  Miss  Ethel  Wright 
to  Toledo  to  fill  the  position.  She  is  conducting 
a  course  for  the  assistants  at  the  branch  libraries 
in  the  subject  of  library  service  for  children. 

In  these  classes,  held  twice  each  week,  much 
attention  has  been  given  to  the  art  and  theory  of 
story  telling.  Miss  Josephine  Leach,  supervisor  of 
teacher  training  in  the  public  schools,  and  an  expert 
in  story  telling,  is  assisting  Miss  Wright  in  this 
work.  In  consequence,  the  entire  branch  library 
staff  is  getting  special  training  in  handling  the  story 
hour.     Special  emphasis  is  placed  on  the  selection 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  163 

of  suitable  stories  and  on  methods  of  presentation. 
Principles  of  Choice  in  Selection  of  Stories 
Asked  as  to  the  standards  by  which  the  stories 
to  be  told  the  children  are  selected,  Miss  Wright 
explained  that  in  general  the  stories  are  taken  from 
the  folk-lore  of  the  world,  ancient  myths  and 
legends,  fairy  tales,  and  the  great  epics.  Legendary 
hero  stories,  it  has  been  found,  appeal  most  to  boys. 
Only  the  best  in  children's  literature  is  used. 

Kills  Interest  in  the  Yellow-Backs 
"Boys  and  girls,"  she  said,  "will  listen  with 
rapt  attention  to  the  telling  of  one  of  those  classic 
legends,  when  they  would  not  care  to  read  it  them- 
selves. Lacking  the  picturesque,  glaring  covers 
that  make  the  Diamond  Dick  type  of  stories  attrac- 
tive to  them,  such  stories  would  oftentimes  fail  to 
appeal  to  the  boy.  But  once  having  heard  them 
told,  he  will  learn  to  like  them  and  he  will  lose 
interest  in  the  demoralizing  street  literature  of  the 
day." 

Children  from  six  to  12  years  of  age  arc  being 
admitted  to  the  story  hour.  Last  week  at  the  ju- 
venile department  of  the  main  library,  a  story  hour 
was  started  for  older  children,  and  27  attended.  The 
older  children  were  invited  to  come  from  2  p.  m. 
to  3,  and  the  younger  ones  from  3  to  4  o'clock. 
Eventually  the  plan  is  to  be  adopted  in  all  the 
libraries.  As  yet  the  children  are  not  graded  as  to 
age.     All  are  handled  together. 

The  following  table  shows  the  attendance  at 
the  story-hour  periods  in  the  various  branches  on 


164     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Saturday,  February  15th,  together  with  the  totals 
for  the  year  to  date  in  each  library.  It  will  be  seen 
that  taking  all  the  branches,  nearly  1,000  children 
are  gathered  in  groups  each  Saturday  afternoon, 
listening  to  some  of  the  world's  great  literature. 

Attendance  at  Library  Story  Hours 

Main    67  272 

Locke  Branch  (East  Side) 151  1,199* 

Jermain  Branch  (North  End) 107  667* 

Kent  Branch  (Collingwood) 61  346 

Mott  Branch  (Dorr  St.) 79  502 

South  Branch  (Broadway) 191  929* 

Total    656  3,935 

— Toledo  City  Journal,  Feb.  22,  1919. 


ANXIOUS  YOUTHS  CROWD  LIBRARY. 


They  Gather  for  Story  Hour  and  They  Don't  Need 

an  Invitation. 


THEY'RE  ON  HAND,  GOOD  AND  EARLY 


Children  Are  Kept  Off  the  Street  by  Plan  Inaugur- 
ated by  Welfare  Worker. 

A  hundred  boys  and  girls  crowded  into  Jermain 
Branch  Library  Saturday  afternoon  to  attend  the 
weekly  story  hour. 

They  began  arriving  an  hour  before  the  time 
set  for  the  program  to  begin,  and  as  2 :30  o'clock 

*Note    the    greater    demand    in    these    neighborhoods, 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  166 

approached  they  gathered  around  the  door  leading 
to  the  basement,  where  the  library  auditorium  is 
located.  No  notice  of  the  story  hour  had  been  given 
out  except  a  placard  posted  on  the  door.  The  chil- 
dren have  come  to  expect  the  weekly  event,  and  it 
is  becoming  a  habit  with  them.  It  is  helping  to  fill 
their  playtime  and  is  in  some  degree  taking  the 
place  of  the  neighborhood  movie  as  an  entertainer. 

Downstairs  in  the  auditorium  Miss  Helen  Both- 
well,  branch  librarian,  was  making  ready  for  the 
coming  horde.  There  was  to  be  an  added  attraction 
today,  a  victrola  presented  to  the  library  by  S.  P. 
Jermain.  A  march  was  played  while  the  young- 
sters filed  down  the  steps  and  filled  up  the  seats  of 
the  little  room. 

There  were  children  four  and  five  years  old,  and 
older,  and  older  ones  of  10  and  12.  Boys  were  in 
the  majority.  All  of  them  wiggled  into  their  seats 
and  sat  all  expectant,  waiting  for  the  story  to  begin. 

The  librarian  brought  her  chair  close  to  them, 
sat  down  and  began  to  tell  the  old  Indian  folk  tale, 
"Mudgee  Monedo." 

The  rustling,  whispering  subdued  noises  that 
were  heard  at  first  thru  the  room  subsided,  and 
every  eye  sought  the  face  of  the  speaker,  as  the  chil- 
dren became  interested  in  the  story.  The  tense 
stillness  and  the  rapt  expression  on  the  faces  of  the 
children  showed  how  they  were  living  in  imagina- 
tion the  deeds  of  the  brave  warrior  who  finally  won 
victory  over  the  evil  org  who  had  terrorized  the 
village. 


166     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

That  story  over,  the  librarian  asked :  "Are  you 
tired?"  A  murmur  of  "no's"  was  abundant  answer. 
And  so  another  story  was  told.  Then  the  juvenile 
audience  was  dismissed. 

The  same  sort  of  scene  was  enacted  in  the  other 
four  branch  libraries,  and  in  the  children's  depart- 
ment of  the  main  library. 

Each  Sunday  afternoon  in  these  various  sec- 
tions of  the  city,  easily  accessible  to  the  children, 
stories  from  the  best  English  literature  are  retold 
to  crowds  of  youngsters.  It  not  only  takes  them  off 
the  streets,  points  out  Miss  Ethel  Wright,  in  charge 
of  children's  work  in  the  Toledo  Public  Library,  but 
it  gets  them  interested  in  good  books. — Times, 
March  3,  1919. 


4.    RECREATIONAL    PROGRAM    FOR   BOYS 

OF  THE   TOLEDO    YOUNG   MEN'S 

CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION 


By  W.  G.  Warr,  Secretary  for  Boys. 

One  of  the  inborn  rights  of  every  child  is  the 
right  to  play,  but,  as  we  look  around  us,  we  see 
many  children  who  do  not  know  how  to  play.  By 
this  is  meant  that  the  desire  to  express  themselves 
in  a  constructive  way  has  never  been  taught  them. 

As  an  example,  take  a  common  sight  as  seen  on 
a  vacant  lot ;  here  are  a  group  of  boys,  say,  playing 
baseball,  a  great  deal  of  time  is  wasted  in  the  selec- 
tion of  captains,  during  the  process,  profanity  is 
used,  hard  feelings  created,  and  dissatisfaction  re- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  1G7 

suits,  some  boys  may  go  to  the  extent  of  coming 
to  blows  and  the  theory  of  "might  is  right"  wins. 
At  the  end  of  this  process,  the  game  itself  becomes 
a  great  question,  decisions  as  to  whether  the  ball  is 
a  ball  or  a  strike,  whether  the  man  is  out  or  not 
have  to  be  made,  and  again  "might  is  right"  wins. 
Possibly  two  innings  are  played  in  this  wray  and  the 
game  breaks  up  in  a  "scrap." 

In  the  program  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  the  value  of  play  has  been  recognized 
and  dealt  with  accordingly.  The  physical  director 
takes  the  scat  of  control;  this  he  retains  until  cap- 
tains have  been  orderly  chosen,  this  by  many  dif- 
ferent processes,  all  of  wrhich  may  be  agreed  to  by 
the  group,  thru  choice,  because  of  physical  ability 
or  social  standing,  but  he  is  chosen.  Upon  the  se- 
lection he  automatically  becomes  the  captain  of  the 
team.  The  physical  director  then  takes  the  place 
of  umpire, — you  notice  all  the  way  thru,  that  the 
recognition  of  authority  is  being  taught.  If  some 
question  arises  both  sides  are  presented  equally  so 
that  the  boys  are  taught  to  see  the  other  side  of 
the  thing  as  well  as  their  own.  As  the  game  pro- 
ceeds the  best  player  receives  the  most  praise,  it 
makes  no  difference  whether  he  be  the  son  of  a 
millionaire  or  the  son  of  a  laborer,  there  is  no  class 
distinction  in  this  game.  The  poor  boy  receives  just 
as  square  a  deal  as  the  rich  boy. 

Again,  to  act  wisely  and  judiciously  in  a  crisis 
is  an  asset.  What  time  has  a  boy  to  think  when  in 
the  game  of  baseball  a  quick  decision  is  necessary. 
The  third   baseman   or  short-stop  acts  almost  me- 


168     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

chanically  because  his  mind  and  muscles  are  work- 
ing together.  Or  the  football  player.  When  the 
ball  has  been  passed  to  him  and  he  is  looked  to  for 
a  gain,  what  time  has  he  to  think,  the  signals  called 
mean  a  hole  made,  he  must  go  thru,  the  sight  of  that 
hole  causes  action,  he  hasn't  time  to  think.  What 
is  the  result? 

Whether  it  be  in  the  gymnasium  with  its  many 
activities,  such  as  free  calisthenics,  movable  appar- 
atus, stationary  apparatus,  track  work  or  a  thousand 
and  one  different  games  that  may  be  played,  out- 
door sports  and  athletics  or  in  the  swimming  pool, 
the  fundamental  basis  of  life  is  being  well  de- 
veloped. Boys  are  taught  to  live  in  peace  and  on 
good  terms  with  their  fellow  beings  to  see  their 
vision  of  things  and  recognize  authority,  to  act 
quickly  and  wisely  before  it  is  too  late.  If  these 
things  are  taught  in  the  games  and  sports  they  play 
you  can,  readily  see  that  when  they  mature  to  man- 
hood and  get  into  the  great  game,  the  game  of  life, 
there  too,  there  will  be  no  class  distinction,  they  will 
be  willing  to  recognize  authority,  they  will  be  will- 
ing to  act  quickly  and  wisely.  They  will  be  strong 
and  altogether  an  asset  to  humanity. 

The  recreational  program  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  teaches  the  boy  to  express 
himself  constructively,  and  life  is  nothing  more  or 
less  than  human  expression.  If  it  is  constructive 
expression  civilization  becomes  better ;  if  it  is  de- 
structive, it  becomes  worse.  What  kind  of  expres- 
sion does  the  recreational  life  of  Toledo  tend  to  give 
our  boys? 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  169 

The  local  Y.  M.  C.  A.  offers  play  facilities  to 
boys  from  ten  to  eighteen  years  of  age.  A  .meat 
variety  of  games,  approximately  one  thousand,  are 
offered  with  or  without  equipment,  largely  the 
latter. 


5.  THE  BOY  SCOUT  MOVEMENT  IN  TOLEDO 

(Wendell  Johnson.) 

A  Factor  in  the  City's  Recreational  Facilities. 

The  Boy  Scout  movement  is  both  an  educa- 
tional factor  and  a  source  of  recreation  for  the  boy? 
of  the  city.  It  merges  more  successfully,  perhaps, 
than  has  been  done  by  any  other  institution,  work 
and  play,  useful  training  and  wholesome  fun. 

No  city  in  the  country  exceeds  Toledo  in  the 
extent  to  which  Scouting  has  won  recognition  and 
achieved  success.  It  has  more  Boy  Scouts  in  pro- 
portion to  its  population  than  any  other  city  in  the 
United  States  with  over  125.000  persons.  It  has 
been  accorded  first  place  by  National  headquarters 
Boy  Scouts  of  America,  in  the  number  and  the 
calibre  of  the  men  who  are  active  as  leaders  in  the 
movement. 

What  Scouting  Is 

The  eighth  annual  report  of  the  Boy  Scouts  of 
America,  recently  published  by  Congress,  gives  this 
definition  of  what  Scouting  is  : 

The  Boy  Scout  idea  is  a  movement  rather  than 
an  organization. 

It  aims  to  supplement  existing  organizations 
such  as  the  home,  church  and  school  by  engaging 


170     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

the  boys'  leisure  energies  in  outdoor  games  and  ac- 
tivities of  cultural  and  practical  value. 

"The  aim  of  the  Scout  movement  is  to  inculcate 
character,  which  though  essential  to  success  in  life, 
is  not  taught  within  the  school,  and  being  largely  a 
matter  of  environment,  is  too  generally  left  to 
chance,  often  with  deplorable  results.  The  Scout 
movement  endeavors  to  supply  the  required  en- 
vironment and  ambitions  through  games  and  out- 
door activities,  which  lead  a  boy  to  become  a  better 
man,  a  good  citizen. 

"Scouting  is  the  process  of  making  real  men  out 
of  real  boys  by  a  real  program  which  works. 

"Scouting  is  outdoor  life,  and  so  health, 
strength,  happiness  and  practical  education,  By 
combining  wholesome,  attractive,  outdoor  activities 
with  the  influence  of  the  Scout  oath  and  law,  the 
movement  develops  character.  It  develops  the 
power  of  initiative  and  resourcefulness. 

"It  helps  boys.     It  insures  good  citizenship. 
"The  Boy  Scout  movement  healthfully  and  sanely 
offsets    the    disadvantages    which    civilization    has 
caused. 

Conservation  of  Boyhood. 

"Conservation  of  our  natural  resources  is  uni- 
versally approved,  but,  of  what  value  would  mate- 
rial resources  be  unless  we  conserve  the  moral,  in- 
tellectual and  physical  future  of  the  coming  genera- 
tion? 

"Prevention  is  recognized  as  better  and  less  ex- 
pensive than  cure.    The  Boy  Scout  movement  takes 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  Hi 

the  boy  at  that  time  of  life  when  he  is  beset  with  the 
new  and  bewildering  experiences  of  adolescence  and 
diverts  his  thoughts  therefrom  to  wholesome  and 
worthwhile  activities.  In  this  manner  our  charac- 
ter-building movement  has  done  much  in  numerous 
cities  to  diminish  the  problem  of  juvenile  delin- 
quency." 

It  is  stated  that  there  are  ten  million  boys  in 
the  United  States  between  the  ages  of  12  and  18 
years.  In  Toledo  there  are  nearly  10,000  between 
these  ages.  Nearly  twenty-eight  per  cent  are  Boy 
Scouts. 

Scouting  in  Toledo 

In  Toledo,  unusual  facilities  have  been  provided 
for  keeping  the  boy  interested  in  wholesome  activi- 
ties. For  example,  the  organization  owns  a  tract 
of  wooded  land  near  Sylvania  which  is  used  as  a 
reservation,  a  big  company  site  for  Scout  troops. 

Primitive  log  cabins  have  been  erected  there 
and  the  boys  are  invited  to  come  out  and  rough  it. 
They  are  not  merely  given  a  place  to  play.  They 
are  put  in  close  touch  with  nature.  They  learn  to 
know  birds  and  trees,  and  other  forms  of  plant  and 
animal  life.  Every  week-end  Boy  Scouts  from  many 
parts  of  the  city  spend  Friday  nights  and  Saturday 
there.  It  takes  them  away  from  the  unwholesome 
influences  of  city  streets,  pool  rooms  and  saloons 
and  brings  them   into  the  great  outdoors. 

Each  summer  the  Scouts  are  given  an  opportun- 
ity to  attend  a  two-weeks'  camp  at  Vineyard  Lake, 
Michigan.      Here,    too,     they   mingle     hilarious    fun 


172    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

with  useful  training.    It  is  recreation  directed  along 
utilitarian  lines.    It  is  play  put  to  use. 

There  are  now  2,750*  Boy  Scouts  in  Toledo, 
grouped  in  about  85  troops,  each  with  a  volunteer 
leader  as  Scoutmaster.  At  least  once  each  week 
the  troop  has  a  formal  meeting.  At  other  times,  the 
boy's  mind  is  occupied  with  preparation  for  tests, 
hikes  and  other  activities. 

Scouting  takes  the  boy  in  the  hours  not  other- 
wise controlled — the  hours  between  the  close  of 
school  in  the  afternoon  and  the  family  gathering  in 
the  evening,  and  fills  it  so  full  with  a  carefully  plan- 
ned program  of  activities  that  he  has  no  time  left 
for  the  idleness  that  so  often  leads  to  delinquency. 

Scouting  Appeals  to  the  Boy 

And  the  boy  likes  it.  The  number  of  troops 
that  could  be  formed  in  Toledo  is  practically  limit- 
ed only  by  the  number  of  men  who  will  volunteer 
to  act  as  Scoutmasters.  The  boys  will  come  in  if 
enough  Scoutmasters  can  be  formed.  More  men 
are  getting  into  the  movement  each  year,  and  Scout- 
ing is  rapidly  becoming  an  institution  of  tremend- 
ous influence,  both  as  a  training  and  as  a  means  of 
recreation. 

Over  700  men  are  engaged  in  the  promotion  of 
this  work  in  Toledo,  either  part  of  all  of  their  time. 

*June   14,   1919. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  173 

NEW  HOME  FOR  SCOUTS  OPENED 


Dedication    Is    Attended    by    Visitors    from    Many 

Outside  Points. 

Boy  Scout  leaders  from  different  parts  of  the 
country  were  in  Toledo  Sunday  for  dedication  of 
the  new  headquarters  of  the  Toledo  Scouts. 

The  new  offices  are  on  the  seventeenth  floor 
of  the  Nicholas  building,  and  in  connection  have  a 
large  recreation  and  assembly  room  and  kitchen. 
Boy  Scouts  and  Scout  leaders  will  meet  here  for 
their  meetings  and  parties,  dinners  and  entertain- 
ments. 

The  annual  report  for  the  Toledo  association 
shows  that  there  are  1,800  Scouts  and  128  Scout- 
masters and  assistants,  an  increase  of  more  than  400 
over  a  year  ago.  In  January,  1915,  Toledo  had  only 
211  Scouts  and  11  Scoutmasters. 

Visiting  Scout  leaders  at  the  meeting  were: 

J.  P.  Freeman,  national  held  commissioner;  J. 
P.  Fitch,  R.  L.  Hazlett  and  C.  K.  Warren,  deputy 
field  commissioners;  John  K.  Doan,  Scout  executive 
from  Cleveland ;  Scout  Executive  A.  F.  Curtis  of 
Saginaw j  J.  P.  Mestreat,  of  Bay  City;  R.  C.  Hester, 
of  Muskegon,  and  A.  F.  Baker,  of  Oak  Park,  111. 

The  new  executive  council  elected  at  the  meet- 
ing is  made  up  of  Mayor  Schreiber,  Lyman  Spitzer, 
Rev.  Allen  A.  Stockdale,  Carl  T.  Cotter,  B.  F.  Lem- 
pert,  John  B.  Merrell.  Bartelle  S.  Hamilton,  L  TT. 
Sanzenbacher,  Aaron  B.  Cohn,  Frank  B.  Anderson, 
William  E.  Booker,  Alfred  B.  Koch,  L  R.  Schenck, 
Walter    A.     Fversman.    Karl     X.   Hardee,   Charles 


174    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Schmettau,  Robert  J.  West,  Dr.  Will  G.  Gardiner 
and  Edwin  A.  Machen. — The  Blade,  January  13, 
1919. 


SALVATION  ARMY  CENTER  IS  OPENED 


Rooms  at  433  Superior  Afford  Rest  and  Lunch 

Facilities 

Three  rooms  and  the  basement  at  433  Superior 
street,  opposite  the  Interurban  Station,  were  thrown 
open  to  the  public  today  by  the  Salvation  Army  as  a 
People's  Recreational  Center. 

Ensign  George  Purdum,  who  has  been  identi- 
fied with  the  maintenance  of  similar  service  stations 
in  other  cities,  is  in  charge.  It  is  hoped  to  make 
this  recreational  center  self-sustaining.  Restaurant 
facilities  occupy  the  first  room.  There  are  counters 
and  chairs  for  men  and  women  at  which  will  be 
served  pie,  cake,  rolls  and  doughnuts,  coffee,  tea, 
sandwiches  and  soft  drinks. 

Just  to  the  rear  is  found  a  lounging  room  for 
guests  with  reading  and  writing  facilities.  Beyond 
this  there  has  been  established  a  "mothers'  room," 
where  mother  and  babe  will  find  all  modern  equip- 
ment for  their  convenience. 

In  the  basement  is  a  club  room  for  men. 

Another  feature  of  the  service  station  is  the 
establishment  of  an  information  bureau.  Likewise 
an  employment  agency  which  will  endeavor  to  look 
after  and  care  principally  for  the  strangers  who 
come  to  Toledo. — The  Blade,  June  2,  1919. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  175 

6.    DAILY  VACATION  BIBLE  SCHOOLS. 


A  work  that  promises  free  educational  recrea- 
tion for  the  60,000  or  more  young  people  of  school 
c  this  summer  is  the  Daily  Vacation  Bible 
Schools.  This  is  a  nation-wide  movement  under 
the  leadership  of  the  churches  of  America,  and  in 
this  city  will  be  conducted  under  the  direction  of 
the  Toledo  and  Lucas  County  Sunday  School  Asso- 
ciation. The  Rev.  Herbert  F.  Loomis,  pastor  of  the 
Pilgrim  Congregational  Church,  has  been  engaged 
as  supervisor. 

It  is  proposed  to  conduct  an  institute  for  the 
training  of  teachers  for  the  schools,  after  which 
seven  schools  are  to  be  opened  in  the  following 
churches,  commencing  Monday,  June  30: 

Norwood  Avenue  Church,  Ewing  and  Norwood 
Avenue ;  First  Baptist,  Huron  Street,  with  which 
will  be  united  First  'Westminster  Presbyterian ; 
Second  Congregational,  East  Side  ;  First  Reformed, 
Cherry  and  Moore  Streets;  Redeemer  Lutheran, 
City  Boulevard  and  Midway;  Warren  A.  M.  E.,  Erie 
and  Washington  Streets. 

It  is  planned  to  open  other  schools  later. 

Method  of  Work 

The  school  opens  at  9  A.  M.  and  is  in  session 
until  11:30,  five  mornings  a  week,  there  being  no 
—  ion  on  Saturdays  or  Sundays.  The  schools  will 
not  be  devoted  entirely  to  religious  training  proper 
of  the  children.  Calisthenics,  vocal  music,  athletics 
and  varied  craft  work  will  be  taught. 


176     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Besides  the  regular  work  there  will  be  athletic 
contests  and  ball  games  for  boys  and  end-ball  and 
other  games  for  the  girls.  Picnics  and  other  recre- 
ational features  will  also  be  held.  A  special  enter- 
tainment and  picnic  is  to  be  given  at  the  end  of  the 
five  weeks'  term,  which  closes  August  1,  for  those 
who  have  been  in  regular  attendance. 

At  the  opening  exercises  each  day  the  boys  and 
girls  sing  to  their  hearts'  content,  have  breathing 
exercises  and  calisthenics  and  listen  to  an  interest- 
ing habit-building  character  talk  or  hear  some  story 
which  is  of  moral  or  patriotic  value. 

The  industrial  period  is  one  in  which  the  boys 
and  girls  separate  into  their  respective  rooms  to  en- 
gage in  useful  industrial  work.  The  boys  weave 
fish  nets  that  will  hold  fish,  hammocks  that  hold 
people  and  smaller  hammocks  for  sister's  doll.  They 
also  make  cord  belts,  dish  mops  and  any  number  of 
useful  things.  The  smaller  boys  weave  mats  for  the 
table,  do  work  with  the  scroll  saw,  whittling  and 
other  useful  branches  of  enjoyable  work.  Ample 
opportunity  is  given  for  individuals  to  show  initia- 
tive and  ingenuity. 

The  girls  spend  their  industrial  period  largely 
in  sewing,  making  such  things  as  will  be  practical 
and  usable. 

Kindergarten  is  held  for  the  younger  children. 

The  closing  period  each  day  is  the  patriotic 
hour,  when  the  pupils  sing  patriotic  airs  and  have 
exercises,  including  the  allegiance  to  the  flag. 

Any  boy  or  girl  from  5  to  15  years  of  age,  re- 
gardless of  creed  or  race,  is  welcome  in  the  Daily 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  177 

Vacation  Bible  School.  The  schools  held  this  sum- 
mer in  Toledo  are  in  a  chain  of  hundreds  of  similar 
schools  stretching  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic. 
Last  summer  there  were  513  schools  located  in  86 
cities  with  an  enrollment  of  73.812  children.  Ohio 
had  28  schools  with  an  enrollment  of  3,031  children. 
Fifty  races  and  types  were  represented  on  the  en- 
rollment. The  movement  is  inter-denominational, 
all  denominations  co-operating.  In  Toledo  the 
schools  are  to  be  conducted  inter-denominationally 
under  the  Toledo  and  Lucas  County  Sunday  School 
Association. 

The  function  of  the  school  is  to  promote  the 
social  welfare  of  children  irrespective  of  race  or 
creed  by  giving  them  competent  leaders  and  teach- 
ers, suitable  and  happy  occupations,  systematic 
oversight  of  games,  good  songs,  and  above  all,  to 
combine  with  this  program  religious  training  and 
practical  Bible  teaching,  the  supreme  need  of  child- 
hood. The  school  is  free  to  the  children,  the  ex- 
pense being  borne  by  the  local  churches,  the  Sunday 
School  Association  and  by  voluntary  subscriptions 
on  the  part  of  individuals. 


178    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 


WHAT  SUBSTITUTE  HAS  THE  COMMUNITY 

FOR    408    CLOSED    SALOONS    IN 

TOLEDO,   OHIO? 


The   Saloon   Will   Cease  to   be  a   Social   Center,   a 
Daily  Lunch  Room,  and  an  Unofficial  Employ- 
ment Agency  for   Over  50000  Men  in  To- 
ledo  Alone,  and  in  the   U.  S.  A.   Over 
Five  Million  Men. 


Profiteers  of  vice  are  ever  ready  to  exploit  nat- 
ural desire  for  recreation.  Has  your  church  or 
community  any  program  regarding: 

1.  Outdoor  Play  and  Sports. 

2.  Community  Centers. 

3.  Organized  Athletics. 

4.  Gymnasiums. 

5.  Open   Houses  and  Clubs. 

6.  Reading  Rooms. 

7.  Good  Theatres  and   Movies. 

8.  Properly   Supervised   Dancing. 

9.  Fraternal  Activities. 

10.  Community  Singing. 

11.  Well-Equipped  Playgrounds. 

12.  Plays,  Festivals  and  Pageants. 

13.  Wider  use  of  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  Y.  W.  C.  A. 

14.  Use  of  Ball-Parks  and  School  Stadiums. 

15.  Community  Control  of  Billiard  Halls  and  Bowl- 

ing Alleys. 

16.  City  Director  of  Play  for  both  Youth  and  Adult. 

17.  Sale  of  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Soda  and  Sandwiches 
at  Cost  Prices. 

18.  More    Frequent    and    Better    Distributed    Band 
and  Orchestra  Music  Throughout  the  City. 

19.  Community  Forum  under  Official  Control. 

20.  Development  of  Army  Canteen  System  in  Days 
of  Peace. 


A  Community  Need  is  a  Community  Opportun- 
ity. What  is  the  Relation  of  the  Churches  to  Your 
Community  Needs? 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  179 

7.  TOLEDO'S  PARKS  AND  PLAY- 
GROUNDS 


That  Toledo  is  far  behind  many  cities  of  much 
smaller  population  in  the  expenditure  of  money, 
number  of  trained  workers,  playgrounds  and  neigh- 
borhood recreation  centers,  may  be  noted  by  study- 
ing the  table  on  page  181.  The  figures  are  taken  from 
the  Year  Book  of  the  Playground  and  Recreation 
Association  of  America  for  the  year  1918. 

It  is  little  short  of  a  tragedy  that  a  great  city 
of  over  260,000  population  did  not  provide  in  its 
budget  a  greater  expenditure  than  $1,140  for  city 
playground  work.  To  be  sure,  $5,000  has  been  ap- 
portioned for  playground  work  this  year,  but  this 
is  comparatively  small  when  the  magnitude  and  ed- 
ucational possibilities  of  supervised  recreation  is 
considered.  Democracy  is  incomplete  as  long  as 
children  must  resort  to  alleys  and  streets  un- 
supervised, to  play — a  state  altogether  too  prevalent 
in  Toledo.  Again,  children  must  also  be  taught 
HOW"  to  play  in  their  childhood,  as  the  lessons  then 
acquired  make  for  future  conduct  in  the  larger  game 
of  life. 

The  city  has  seven  parks  which  have  play- 
ground equipment,  while  Highland  Park  will  also 
have  a  playground  in  the  Autumn  of  1919.  The 
seven  parks  are  the  Navarre  and  Collins  of  East 
Toledo,  the  Willys,  Holland,  Riverside,  City  and 
Macomber  Parks,  the  latter  being  the  more  centrally- 
located  and  better  equipped  with  play  apparatus. 
For  the  year  1918,  the  city  had  but  six  women  su- 


180     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

pervisors  for  as  many  playgrounds,  and  then  only 
for  six  summer  months. 

It  was  with  wise  foresight  that  the  City  Coun- 
cil recently  passed  the  final  legislation  necessary  to 
purchase  a  playground  site  in  the  Polish  district, 
lying  between  Mulberry,  Oakland  and  Streicher 
streets.  The  sum  of  $47,000  was  appropriated  for 
this  purchase.  In  1920,  extensive  arrangements  are 
expected  to  be  made  for  the  installation  of  swim- 
ming pools  and  hire  of  supervisors.  At  present, 
there  are  two  ball-fields  constantly  in  use  in  this 
park.  It  is  also  planned  to  have  community  and 
public  buildings  in  many  of  the  parks.  Ottawa  Park 
and  City  Park  will  probably  be  the  first  ones  to  be 
so   equipped. 

Of  Toledo's  51  public  schools,  16  have  equip- 
ment of  play  apparatus.  They  are  as  follows :  Au- 
burndale,  Birmingham,  East  Central,  Franklin, 
Gunckel,  Indiana,  Jefferson,  Monroe,  Parkland, 
Raymer,  Sherman,  Southeast,  Stickney,  Walbridge, 
Washington, — the  schools  of  West  Toledo  not  be- 
ing considered,  altho  there  is  great  need.  No  avail- 
able statistics  are  procurable  as  to  the  cost  of  play- 
ground equipment.  It  is  known,  however,  that 
many  are  in  very  poor  condition  and  not  at  all  ade- 
quately equipped.  These  school  playgrounds  are 
used  only  during  school  hours,  as  the  School  Board 
is  unable  to  pay  for  special  supervision. 

But  neither  extensive  nor  expensive  apparatus 
is  necessary  where  TRAINED  SUPERVISION 
can  be  obtained.  A  good  play  leader  can  make  a 
playground  from  an  open  field.  The  best  results  are 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  181 

attained,    however,   only    when    trained   playleaders 
and  good  equipment  go  together. 

SUGGESTIONS 

1.  The  creation  of  a  Commission  of  Recreation  un- 
der appointment  of  the  Department  of  Public 
Welfare. 

2.  Playgrounds  and  play  space  for  children  under 

10  years  of  age.  These  not  to  be  in  excess  of 
five  minutes'  walk  from  the  homes  of  the  chil- 
dren, the  ideal  conditions  being  noted  in  Phil- 
adelphia, where  oi  the  98  per  cent  who  attend 
under  14  years  of  age,  74  per  cent  were  from 
homes  within  a  radius  of  from  one-third  to  one- 
fourth  of  a  mile. 

3.  Playgrounds  and  play  spaces  for  older  children, 
not  in  excess  of  twenty  minutes'  walk  from  the 
homes. 

4.  Provision  for  indoor  recreation  at  parks,  play- 
grounds and  school  houses  during  the  winter 
months. 

5.  The  utilization  of  available  play  space  for 
street  play,  in  view  of  rapidly  increasing  con- 
gestion and  lack  of  better  play  space.  This  lat- 
ter suggestion  would  require  the  endorsement 
of  city  officials  and  the  co-operation  of  proper- 
ty owners.  Certain  streets  could  be  used  at 
hours  when  there  is  little  business  activity. 
Games,  such  as  volley  ball,  basket  ball,  ring  and 
running  games  and  indoor  baseball  might  be 
permitted. 

6.  The  duty  of  clubs,  churches,  societies,  welfare 


182    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

organizations,  press  and  other  agencies  in  dis- 
cussing the  necessity  of  minimizing  juvenile 
delinquency  and  development  of  future  citizens 
thru  this  work. 

7.  The  immediate  inspection,  repair  and  renewal 
of  present  playground  equipment,  particularly 
those  of  the  school  yards. 

8.  Location  of  play  parks  in  more  populous  dis- 
tricts. 

9.  The  extension  of  the  playground  season. 
10.     Services  of  a  playground  director. 


A   HISTORY    OF   TOLEDO'S   PLAYGROUND 

MOVEMENT 

There  are  at  least  six  steps  in  the  development 
oi  the  local  movement.  The  first  is  seen  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  Golden  Rule  Park,  a  small  area, 
150x120  feet,  situated  at  Segur  and  Field  Avenues. 
This  was  started  by  the  late  Samuel  Jones,  who  was 
then  Mayor  of  the  city.  The  necessity  of  having  a 
resting  place  for  his  workingmen  and  their  wives, 
as  also  a  "breathing-spot"  where  the  children  might 
play  under  proper  direction,  prompted  this  human- 
itarian work. 

Little  did  Mr.  Jones  realize  when  he  opened  this 
park  in  1894,  that  he  was  contributing  momentum 
to  a  cause  of  so  vast  proportions.  Over  400  Ameri- 
can cities  now  have  an  equipment  of  3,871  play- 
grounds and  neighborhood  centers  under  leadership, 
with  8,137  paid  workers  directing  the  recreational 
activities  of  children  and  adults.     The  annual  ex- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  183 

penditure  of  these  cities  alone  amounts  to  over  six 
millions  of  dollars. 

Playground  Itself  Not  a  Success 

As  a  playground  proper,  it  could  not  be  consid- 
ered a  success.  The  park  was  too  small  and  had  but 
meagre  apparatus  and  equipment.  Mr.  Jones,  too, 
was  a  political  idealist — his  "Golden  Rule"  or  mod- 
ern civic  Utopian  scheme  naturally  received  the 
greater  emphasis.  He  gave  to  the  work  the  neces- 
sary financial  support.  The  work  soon  assumed  the 
nature  of  a  miniature  Chautauqua  for  the  discussion 
of  political  and  ethical  ideals,  meritorious  in  them- 
selves, but  quite  unrelated  to  playground  work 
proper. 

THE  SECOND  STAGE 

This  also  was  set  in  motion  by  Mr.  Jones,  and 
likewise  assumed  the  nature  of  a  PRIVATE  enter- 
prise. During  the  last  year  of  his  administration, 
1904,  he  obtained  the  use  of  a  section  of  land  ad- 
joining the  Armory,  extending  from  Spielbusch  Ave- 
nue to  Canton  Street — the  present  site  of  the  J.  M. 
Bour  coffee  house.  This  site  bore  the  rather  eupho- 
nious name  of  "Wild  Cat  Shoot."  Considerable  im- 
petus was  given  to  the  movement  thru  the  services 
of  a  Mr.  Stoyan  Basil  Tsanoff,  a  Bulgarian  who 
came  to  the  country  as  a  representative  of  a  Bulga- 
rian wheat  house.  Mr.  Tsanoff  attended  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  and  while  engaged  in  soci- 
ological studies,  became  greatly  interested  in  the 
playground  movement.  The  young  man  is  also  cred- 
ited with  having  originated  the  playground  move- 


184     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

ment  of  Philadelphia  and  New  York  City,  and  also 
the  "evening  reception"  feature  for  adults  in  school 
buildings  and  the  opening  of  these  buildings  as  So- 
cial Centers. 

Brings  Man  Here 

Mr.  Jones  was  in  New  York,  early  in  1904,  and 
accidentally  came  across  Mr.  Tsanoff,  whose  friend- 
ship he  formed  and  whom  he  induced  to  come  to  To- 
ledo. With  no  stated  compensation,  Mr.  Tsanoff 
started  his  work  with  addresses  at  the  Golden  Rule 
Park.  As  a  result,  a  playground  association  was 
formed,  Mayor  Jones  was  elected  President,  Dr. 
Mary  Law,  Secretary,  and  Mr.  Tsanoff  the  manager. 
The  Bour  site  was  equipped  with  swing-boards,  see- 
saws, climbing  ropes  and  other  paraphernalia.  In- 
structors connected  with  the  "Law  Kindergarten 
School"  were  loaned  to  the  movement.  The  Bour 
site  playground,  however,  had  a  limited  existence, 
lasting  but  one  season.  The  community  sense  of  a 
need  and  its  possibilities  was  not  sufficiently 
awakened. 

THE  THIRD  STAGE 

This  occurred  during  the  years  1907-1912,  when 
the  brothers,  Irvin  E.  Macomber  and  the  late  Frank- 
lin S.  Macomber,  became  interested.  These  men  are 
credited  with  giving  time,  energy  and  means  to  the 
work.  They  first  obtained  a  plot  of  land,  extending 
from  Southard  Avenue  to  Wakeman  Street.  This 
consisted  of  two  city  blocks  of  three  and  one-half 
acres.  The  grounds  was  next  divided  into  a  News- 
boys'    Playground     section,     supervised     by     Mr. 


AMUSEMENT  IX   TOLEDO,  OHIO  18,3 

Gunckel,  the  "Newsboys'  friend;'  and  a  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
tennis  court,  the  latter  costing  $4,000.  The  next 
move  was  to  secure  the  attention  and  interest  of  the 
Park  Board,  which  consisted  of  the  then  acting  Wel- 
fare Directors,  William  Beatty,  Lyman  Spitzer  and 
Leonard  C.  Trice.  Friends  to  the  movement  were 
soon  made — persons  who  were  able  to  aid  in  the 
financing  and  supervising  of  the  work. 

Work  Progresses 

Due  to  the  able  supervision  of  men  and  women, 
the  work  progressed  for  a  period  of  five  years.  The 
Park  Board  rendered  worthy  service  in  making  pos- 
sible the  payment  of  the  men  supervisors.  The  Fed- 
eration of  Women's  Clubs  of  the  city  met  the  ex- 
penses of  the  women  supervisors.  Improvements  to 
the  amount  of  $2,000  were  made  on  the  park  at  this 
time-.  The  greater  expense,  including  the  supervi- 
sion of  the  play  and  care  of  the  grounds,  was  met  by 
private  subscription.  Financial  aid  was  freely  ren- 
dered by  the  two  Spitzer  brothers,  A.  E.  Lang  Mr. 
Jermain,  A.  K.  Detwiler,  and  others. 

Soon  the  Board  of  Education  saw  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  use  of  the  ground  for  children  after  school 
hours.  Three  classes  are  now  served:  Hie  Y.  M. 
C.  A.,  Newsboys  and  the  school  children. 

During  this  early  period,  the  land  was  anything 
but  attractive,  until  the  Macombers  had  it  drained 
and  filled  with  suitable  soil.  A  wading  pool  was  in- 
stalled which  became  an  occasion  of  great  delight  to 
the  children. 

Soon  after,  the  Toledo    Factories    Corporation 


186    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

purchased  and  occupied  a  large  section — about  one 
and  one-half  acres.  As  a  result,  the  playground 
movement  soon  lapsed  in  interest. 

THE  FOURTH  STAGE 

The  killing  of  a  little  girl  while  playing  in  the 
street  created  a  civic  interest  which  the  Park  Board 
was  most  anxious  to  see  crystalize  into  a  purchase 
by  the  city  of  the  Macomber  Playground.  The  pur- 
chase was  made  in  1915 — the  land  being  bought  of 
the  Guardian  Savings  Bank  of  Milwaukee,  which 
had  secured  the  interests  of  the  Macomber  and 
Crane  estates. 

Friends  of  the  Playground  Movement  in  Toledo 
must  ever  be  grateful  to  this  Park  Board,  who  so 
unselfishly  and  unsparingly  devoted  their  sympa- 
thies to  the  work  while  in  office. 

THE  FIFTH  STAGE 

The  introduction  of  play  apparatus  in  the  parks 
characterize  this  stage.  The  Park  Board  met  in 
Mayor  Whitlock's  office,  June  8,  1911,  and  voted  to 
authorize  the  placing  of  swimming  pools  in  three 
parks :  the  City,  Navarre  and  Riverside.  These 
swimming  pools  cost  the  city  $10,291.  Comfort 
stations  were  also  installed  at  City  Park,  Central 
Grove,  Ottawa  and  Riverside — the  latter  having  a 
band-stand  pavilion  costing  $11,900  additional 
Play  apparatus  was  installed  in  the  seven  city  parks 
(previously  mentioned).  As  this  is  a  distinct  inno- 
vation, it  may  properly  be  spoken  of  as 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  187 

THE  SIXTH  STAGE 

The  city  has  about  8  large  parks,  44  main  tri- 
angles and  several  boulevard  parks  in  the  middle  of 
the  street.  All  of  these  parks  were  bonded  in  1888 
and  represent  a  total  acreage  of  1,566  acres,  at  a  pos- 
sible cost  to  the  city  of  $513,74850.  The  market 
value  of  these  parks  is  variously  estimated  at  from 
two  to  five  millions  of  dollars.  Property  attached 
to  the  Waite  High  has  since  been  added  to  the  park 
system  and  valued  at  $20,000. 

Supervised  play  first  became  a  feature  of  the 
seven  parks  in  1914.  Since  then,  over  $10,000  has 
been  spent  on  play  apparatus  and  as  much  for  swim- 
ming pools.  The  size  and  equipment  of  these  parks 
is  as  follows : 


Name  Size         Supervisor       Equipment 

City  Park 7      Acres         Yes         Playground  (com- 
plete),   Swimming 
Pool. 
Collins  Park 90      Acres         Yes         Playground  (com- 
plete),  Ball    Field. 
Bay  View  Park..    ..  No  Three  Ball   FiekK 

Ottawa  Park. ..  .280      Acres         No  Playground      (un- 

finished).     Tennis 
Courts,  Golf,  Ball. 
Macomber  Park.      V/2  Acres         Yes         Playground  (com- 
plete). 
Navarre  Park. .  ..  53      Acres         Yes         Plavground  (com- 
plete),   Swimming 
Pool,  Ball  Field. 
Walbridgc  Park.    69      Acres  No  None 

Willys  Park 104rj  Acres         Yes  Playground    (com- 

plete), Ball  Fields, 
Tennis. 
Riverside  Park.  .    63      Acres         Yes         Playground. 


188     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Contemplated  Improvements 

Improvement  work  entailing  an  expenditure  of 
$240,000  is  planned  for  the  year  1919,  by  Welfare 
Director  Benedict.  Combination  band-stands  and 
comfort  stations  are  to  be  constructed  in  Walbridge, 
City  and  Ottawa  Parks. 

A  bridge  will  be  constructed  at  Riverside  Park. 
A  swimming  pool  will  be  installed  at  Jermain  Park. 
New  barns  for  equipment  are  to  be  built  at  Ottawa 
Park.  The  roadway  thru  Bay  View  Park  will  be 
macadamized.  Ravine  Park  will  have  grading, 
draining  and  roadway  work. 

The  Director  has  stated  that  during  the  win- 
ter, the  department  will  maintain  skating  rinks  in 
the  parks  and  will  have  some  band  concerts  for  the 
skaters. 


DENSITY   OF  POPULATION  WITHIN  CITY 

LIMITS 


Toledo  has  80,000  young  people  from  6  to  21 
years  of  age — nearly  one-third  of  the  entire  popula- 
tion. Before  any  constructive  community  recrea- 
tion can  be  completed,  it  is  necessary  to  ascertain 
the  density  of  the  city's  population  for  each  district, 
and  particularly  the  density  and  number  of  children 
in  each  acre. 

The  present  number  of  playgrounds  and  play 
facilities  must  be  ascertained  and  an  estimate  made 
as  to  whether  adequate  provision  has  been  made  for 
public  recreation  in  the  densely  populated  districts. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  189 

From  a  study  of  city  maps,  charts  and  population 
statistics,  the  density  of  population  for  nine  sections 
of  the  city  was  made.  The  sections  are  representa- 
tive and  enable  one  to  secure  an  average  result  for 
the  entire  city.  The  densely  populated  districts  are 
given  in  their  order  and  the  population  per  acre  of 
each  district : 

Section  1.  Center  of  Business  District,  bounded  by 
Adams,  Summit,  Washington  and  Mich- 
igan Streets.  Called  the  "down-town" 
district.  This  district  has  the  greatest 
density,  with  an  average  population  of  43 
persons  per  acre. 

Section  2.  Northwest  of  Business  District,  bounded 
by  Adams,  Washington,  Michigan  and 
21st  Streets,  the  high  point  being  in  the 
vicinity  of  Canton  Street  and  Woodruff 
Avenue,  with  an  average  population  of  42 
persons  per  acre. 

Section  3.  Air  Line  Junction,  Polish  Settlement, 
bounded  by  Hawley  Street.  Indiana  Ave- 
nue. Brown  and  Buckingham  Streets. 
The  average  population  is  29  persons  per 
acre. 

Section  4.  Lower  Town,  bounded  by  Superior, 
Stickney,  Champlain  and  Elm  Streets. 
The  northern  and  older  section  of  the 
city.  Average  population  of  27  persons 
per  acre. 

Section  5.  Lagrange  Street.  Polish  Settlement, 
bounded  by  Central.  Franklin,  Pearl  and 


190     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Elm  Streets.  Average  population  of  26 
persons  per  acre. 

Section  6.  Vicinity  of  Broadway  and  South  Streets, 
bounded  by  Mauniee,  Western,  Hawley 
and  Orchard  Streets.  Average  popula- 
tion of  26  persons  per  acre. 

Section  7.  Vicinity  of  Virginia  and  Winthrop 
Streets  (residential),  bounded  by  Fulton, 
Bancroft,  Lawrence,  Islington  and  Col- 
lingwood.  Average  population  of  23  per- 
sons per  acre. 

Section  8.  East  Toledo,  bounded  by  Navarre,  Oak, 
Greenwood  and  Belt  Streets.  Average 
population  of  18  persons  per  acre. 

Section  9.  Manhattan,  bounded  by  Summit,  Colum- 
bus, Kalamazoo  and  Pontiac  Streets.  Av- 
erage population  of  6  persons  per  acre. 


DENSITY  OF  POPULATION  OF  CHILDREN 

OF  SCHOOL  AGE 


As  the  wards  and  school  districts  have  changed 
so  frequently,  a  new  table  derived  from  the  school 
census  of  1919  was  made,  in  order  to  ascertain  the 
number  of  children  of  school  age  per  acre  in  the 
school  districts.     The  figures  are  as  follows  : 

Population 

Children 

Name  of  Schools  per  Acre 

Gunckel,  Indiana,  Sherman 9 

Parkland,  Washington,  Hoag,  Segur 8 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  191 

West  Toledo,  Waite,  South 7 

Nebraska,  Navarre,  East  Side 6 

Glenwood,  Fulton,   Warren,   Lagrange,  Stick- 

ney,      Manhattan,      Keteham,      Newberry, 

Broadway    5 

\\  albridge,     Auburndale,     Lincoln,     Monroe, 

Jefferson,  Birmingham,  Central,  Franklin..     4 
Garfield,     Cherry,     Ontario,     Mott,     Raymer, 

NewTton   3 

Spring,  White,  South  East,  Monroe,  Arlington     2 
Adams  Township,   Ironville,   Oakdale,   Chase, 

Wayne,  Harvard,  Irving,  McKinley 1 


PLAY  ACTIVITIES  OF  SCHOOL  CHILDREN 

Sixteen  schools  have  playgrounds  with  appa- 
ratus, much  of  which  is  in  need  of  repair.  No  pro- 
vision is  made  for  supervised  play  after  school  is 
"out."  The  apparatus  also  is  practically  unused 
during  the  summer  and  vacation  periods. 

An  attempt  was  made  to  ascertain  the  number 
of  school  buildings  that  are  used  for  play  activities 
and  their  use.  Of  Toledo's  51  school  buildings.  23 
are  used  largely  for  basketball,  Women's  Patriotic 
Leagues,  College  Alumni  Associations  and  B<-y 
Scouts.  The  buildings  most  in  use  are  marked  with 
an  asterisk.  Their  use  is  confined  principally  to  the 
school  year : 

Auburndale  Glenwood  Raymer 

Birmingham  Gunckel  -Scott 

Central  ^'Lincoln  Spring 

*Cherry  McKinley  *Stickney 


192    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

*East  Side  Central  *Monroe  *Walbridge 
Fulton                      *Newberry       Waite  High 
Garfield                     Newton  Waite  Elementary 

Norwood  *Wayne 

In  view  of  the  lack  of  facilities  for  public  recre- 
ation, nearly  all  of  these  school  buildings  should  be 
used  more  throughout  the  entire  year.  Provision 
should  be  made  for  recreation  for  both  ADULTS 
and  children.  Ohio  has  recreation  legislation  which 
covers  this  point. — Ohio  Statutes,  Section  7622-5. 

Less  than  one-fourth  of  the  school  districts  are 
sufficiently  near  parks  and  playgrounds  to  permit 
children  to  go  unattended.  Police  protection  and 
lighting  facilities  are  also  inadequate  in  many  of 
Toledo's  parks  and  playgrounds.  Lack  of  strict  su- 
pervision and  indifference  on  part  of  managers  to 
the  character  and  general  conduct  of  their  patrons 
have  given  some  of  our  parks  a  bad  tone. 

PRIVATE  RECREATION 

The  telephone  and  city  directories  for  1919  gives 
a  list  of  eight  clubs  and  associations  in  the  city.  As 
this  is  a  small  number,  it  is  assumed  that  only  the 
larger  and  more  influential  clubs  are  considered.  It 
is  definitely  known  that  there  are  at  least  100  small- 
er clubs  and  societies  in  Toledo.  Fraternal,  labor 
unions  and  similar  organizations  are  not  included, 
altho  they  have  many  "Social"  and  "Outing"  fea- 
tures, as  "Pleasure,"  "Athletic,"  "Social"  and 
"Bowling  Clubs."  Not  more  than  one-fourth  are 
free  from  the  taint  of  commercialization.     Philan- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  193 

thropic  agencies  and  churches  have  a  great  field  for 
service  here,  namely,  in  providing  well-rounded 
recreational  facilities  for  a  city's  youth.  The  De- 
partment of  Public  Welfare  has  made  provision  for 
the  playing  of  baseball,  tennis  and  golf  in  some  of 
the  parks,  but  these  facilities  alone  are  entirely  in- 
adequate for  a  city  of  260,000  people.  Community 
houses  equipped  with  gymnasiums,  swimming 
tanks,  and  with  rooms  for  clubs  and  organizations 
to  hold  their  meetings,  and  an  auditorium  to  hold 
public  meetings,  might  properly  be  considered  by 
such  agencies  as  the  Commerce  Club,  Woman's 
Club,  Rotary,  Exchange  and  Toledo  Club.  Toledo 
has  the  money,  and  in  time  will  have  the  incentive. 
A  start  should  be  made. 


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196    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

8.    CLUB  HOUSE  FOR  SETTLEMENT  NEED 
AND  Y.  W.  C.  A.  ACTIVITIES 


June  Purcell  Guild  Favors  Community  Center  for 

Entire  Neighborhood. 


SUBSTITUTE  FOR  SALOON 


Would  Offer  Attractions  for  Every  Member  of  the 

Family. 


What  is  needed  in  North  Toledo  settlement  is 
not  so  much  a  settlement  house  as  a  community  and 
club  center  for  the  neighborhood,  is  the  opinion  of 
June  Purcell  Guild,  who  will  begin  her  work  as  head 
resident  May  1. 

"With  the  closing  of  the  saloons  the  last  of  May, 
we  hope  to  open  up  in  connection  with  the  house,  a 
man's  room  for  pool  and  other  games,  a  place  where 
men  may  meet  and  smoke  if  they  like  and  enjoy  a 
homelike  atmosphere,  to  take  the  place  of  the  saloon 
as  a  loafing  place,"  said  Mrs.  Guild  in  discussing 
plans  for  her  new  work. 

Contracts  have  been  let  for  an  addition  to  the 
former  settlement  building,  which  will  provide  quar- 
ters for  such  development.  Work  on  this  addition 
will  begin  immediately. 

Other  enterprises  which  Mrs.  Guild  has  in  mind 
for  the  community  house  are  a  community  laundry, 
where  women  of  the  neighborhood  may  bring  their 
family  washing  and  find  running  water,  stationary 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  197 

tubs  and  all  modern  equipment  for  laundry  work. 
Many  homes,  it  has  been  found  in  this  section  of  the 
city,  have  no  city  water  and  it  is  believed  such  laun- 
dry equipment  would  be  of  immense  value. 

The  aim  of  the  house  will  be  as  heretofore  to 
provide  diversion  and  recreation  for  the  entire  fam- 
ily. There  will  be  mothers'  clubs,  children's  activi- 
ties, musical  instruction  and  men's  clubs,  so  that  an 
entire  family  may  come  on  the  same  night  and  find 
something  to  their  liking. 

Ground  adjacent  to  the  settlement,  purchased 
three  years  ago  and  used  for  war  gardens  during  the 
war,  will  be  equipped  immediately  for  a  supervised 
playground — a  feature  greatly  needed,  as  there  is  no 
play  center  nearer  than  Riverside  Park,  and  to  reach 
this  children  must  cross  the  switching  tracks  of 
three  railroads. 

If  Mrs.  Guild's  plans,  which  have  the  enthusi- 
astic backing  of  the  board  of  trustees,  carry,  the 
North  Toledo  Settlement  will  become  Toledo's  first 
community  center,  in  the  real  sense  of  the  term,  and 
a  model  for  others  to  be  opened  in  various  sections 
of  the  city. 

Mrs.  Guild,  while  a  young  woman,  brings  to  her 
work  broad  education  and  wide  experience  in  busi- 
ness and  social  service  activities.  Before  her  mar- 
riage she  practiced  law  in  Columbus,  where  she  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1909.  She  was  graduated 
from  Ohio  State  University  in  1910,  and  in  addition 
to  her  LL.D.  degree,  has  taken  post-graduate  work- 
in  sociology  in  the  University  of  Chicago.  She  was 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  in  Columbus. 


198    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

After  her  marriage  to  Arthur  Alden  Guild,  new 
superintendent  of  the  Toledo  Federated  Charities, 
Mrs.  Guild  was  head  resident  of  the  South  End  cen- 
ter, located  in  the  steel  district  of  South  Chicago, 
for  two  years  and  a  half.  Later  she  was  with  the 
United  Charities  of  Chicago,  served  on  the  Court 
of  Domestic  Relations  and  was  for  one  year  super- 
intendent of  the  Chicago  Juvenile  Detention  home 
with  a  staff  of  58  under  her. 

Since  coming  to  Toledo  with  her  husband  three 
months  ago,  Mrs.  Guild  has  been  at  work  on  a 
"Study  of  Juvenile  Delinquency,"  about  to  be  pub- 
lished in  the  Journal  of  Criminology. 

Officers  of  the  North  Toledo  Settlement  are  as 
follows :  President,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Barber ;  first  vice 
president,  Mrs.  T.  B.  Fogg;  second  vice  president, 
Mrs.  Maurice  Scott ;  secretary,  Mrs.  James  Austin ; 
treasurer,  W.  E.  Waldo. 

The  board  of  trustees  is  made  up  of  the  follow- 
ing: 

L.  V.  McKesson,  George  Lathrop,  Mrs.  Fred- 
erick L.  Geddes,  Mrs.  Prentice  E.  Rood  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lee  Moon,  Mrs.  C.  F.  M.  Niles,  Mrs.  Lewis 
H.  Clement,  Mrs.  J.  Harrington  Boyd  and  Miss  Ma- 
tilda Campbell. — The  Times,  April  20,  1919. 


528  BLADE  NEWSIES  GIVEN  THEATRE 

PARTY 


Blade  newsboys — 528  of  them — enjoyed  a  the- 
atre party  in  the  Strand  Arcade  theatre  Friday 
night.  The  entertainment  was  given  by  the  manage- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  199 

mcnt  of  The  Blade.  The  newsies  saw  the  Kinsey 
Komedy  Kompany. 

Of  course,  the  boys  got  there  early  and  waited 
many  long  minutes  for  the  show  to  start,  but  no 
"rough  house"  had  to  be  quelled.  The  party,  despite 
its  number  and  vim,  proceeded  to  enjoy  itself  with 
no  annoyance  to  other  patrons. 

The  Kinsey  Komedy  Kompany  got  unprece- 
dented applause,  to  which  it  bowed  repeatedly.  En- 
core after  encore  was  demanded  and  given  un stint- 
in  gly. 

When  the  ice-water  supply  ran  out,  at  the  end 
of  the  performance,  a  lively  dash  was  made  to  the 
adjacent  soda  fountains. 

The  management  was  especially  courteous  to 
its  young  guests. 

Next  week  another  party  will  be  given  to  500 
more  carriers  by  The  Blade  management. — The 
Blade. 


Y.  W.  OPEN  TO  ALL  CLASSES  OF  GIRLS 


Welcoming  of  All  Creeds  and  Denominations  Urged 

by  Welfare  Woman. 


NEED  EQUAL  GUIDANCE. 


Children  Afflicted  with  Wanderlust  Furnish  Prob- 
lem Here  for  Workers. 

Mrs.   Prentice   Rood,   Toledo   representative   at 
the   Cincinnati   Welfare   Conference   last   week,   ad- 


2'00     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

dressed  the  board  and  association  secretaries  of  the 
Y.  W.  C.  A.  on  conservation  of  woman  power  at  the 
all-day  meeting  on  Monday,  held  in  the  Association 
building. 

Mrs.  Rood  urged  that  girls  of  all  creeds  and  de- 
nominations be  equally  welcomed  and  that  the  spirit 
of  interest  and  co-operation  aroused  by  the  united 
war  work  campaign  be  used  to  good  advantage. 

"It  has  been  urged  that  Y.  W.  C.  A.  organiza- 
tions have  built  around  themselves  a  barrier  that 
turns  away  outsiders/'  declared  Mrs.  Rood.  "I  think 
that  is  a  misunderstanding  due  to  misapprehensions 
of  the  girls  themselves. 

"Girls  of  every  religion  need  equal  guidance. 
Something  must  be  done  to  take  in  the  girls  inter- 
ested during  the  united  war  work  campaign.  I 
would  like  to  see  women  of  other  faiths  on  our 
board. 

"Y.  W.  C.  A.  work  is  not  for  the  industrial  girl 
alone.  It  is  for  the  girl  of  leisure  as  well.  Girls  must 
be  approached  from  their  own  viewpoints." 

Report  on  Growth. 

Secretaries  of  the  various  departments  report- 
ed upon  the  unprecedented  growth  of  the  different 
departments.  Miss  Ethel  Sheffer  reported  that  total 
membership  is  2,898. 

Miss  Ruth  Adler  declared  that  500  grade  school 
girls  have  been  enrolled  in  the  Girl  Reserves,  the 
new  national  organization  that  includes  seventh  and 
eighth  graders  and  industrial  girls  under  18  years. 

Miss  Eudora  Dickson,  residence  and  house  sec- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  201 

retary,  told  of  the  many  runaway  girls  that  the 
home  has  cared  for.  Since  August,  11  wanderers 
have  been  returned  to  their  parents. 

Most  of  them  were  around  18  years  old  and  had 
left  home  thru  some  misunderstanding.  One  child 
of  12  had  provoked  her  mother  into  savin-  that  she 
was  not  worth  her  salt,  whereupon  the  heart-broken 
youngster  had  packed  up  and  left  for  Toledo. 

One  girl  and  her  sweetheart  from  a  small  coun- 
try town  were  persuaded  to  wait  until  father  and 
mother  would  give  their  consent  and  to  go  home 

again. 

Another  case  was  that  of  a  girl  with  the  wan- 
derlust who  would  disappear  from  home  over  night 
to  turn  up  in  another  city.  She  would  stay  a  few 
days,  answering  all  inquiries  in  the  manner  that 
most  appealed  to  her  at  the  moment,  whether  it  cor- 
responded to  the  way  she  had  told  it  before  or  not. 

Miss  Lily  Matheson,  devotional  secrete rv,  de- 
scribed the  thoro  work  of  her  department  in  visiting 
every  girl  in  every  store  and  office  building  in  the 
city,  interesting  them  in  attending  the  noon  lunches 
at  the  Valentine  hall  and  evening  classes  at  the  or- 
ganization building. 

Entertainment  for  Lonesome. 

Each  Friday  night  a  delegation  of  girls  visit  the 
Florence  Crittenden  home,  furnishing  entertainment 
to  the  lonesome  lassies  who  have  not  been  SO  for- 
tunate as  they. 

Miss  Bess  Outcault.  industrial  department,  as- 
serted that  this  field   embraced  between  4,000  and 


202    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

5,000  employed  girls.  Efforts  are  being  made  to 
reach  every  one  of  them  by  the  establishment  of 
clubs  in  the  different  factories  with  advisers  for 
each.  Miss  Elsie  White  reported  that  the  physical 
department  is  growing  steadily,  having  increased  to 
1,000  members  in  the  last  year. 

Mrs.  Hutler,  reporting  on  war  work,  declared 
that  it  embraced  477  workers.  She  said  the  local 
Y.  W.  C.  A.  is  the  only  one  in  14  counties.  She 
urges  the  branching  out  of  the  organization,  with 
one  base  established  in  East  Toledo. 

Miss  Mary  Howard,  general  secretary,  urged 
that  a  summer  camp  be  founded  for  the  girls. 

The  cafeteria  is  feeding  500  people  a  day,  ac- 
cording to  Miss  Edith  Robinson,  but  it  needs  600  to 
make  it  pay.  More  advertising  is  needed,  she  thinks. 

In,  general,  the  plans  of  the  Association  for  the 
coming  year  are  to  branch  out  on  a  larger  scale  than 
ever  before,  to  include  girls  of  all  religions,  to  try 
to  show  them  that  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  is  not  a  place  to 
sing  hymns  and  look  solemn,  and  to  meet  the  needs 
of  all  classes  of  girls. — The  Times,  Dec.  11,  1918. 


9.     RECREATION  IN  FIRST   YEAR  OF  WAR 


Much  has  been  told  in  the  press  of  the  influence 
exerted  by  the  war  upon  public  thought  in  Great 
Britain  in,  regard  to  physical  degeneration  and  the 
means  necessary  to  re-invigorate  the  nation.  That 
a  similar  influence  is  at  work  in  America  has  not  as 
yet  been  sufficiently  recognized.  The  Playground 
and  Recreation  Association  of  America,  in  its  year- 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  203 

book  for  1917,  shows  not  only  how  the  war  has  stim- 
ulated interest  in  the  physical  education  of  the  young 
manhood  of  the  country,  but,  what  is  far  mure  sig- 
nificant, how  it  has  reacted  upon  physical  education 
and  recreation  generally. 

In  spite  of  large  economies  in  almost  every 
sphere  of  public  life,  provision  of  healthful  play  for 
children  and  adults  has  increased  during  the  first 
war  year  by  18  per  cent,  if  measured  by  the  number 
of  playgrounds  operated.  It  has  increased  50  per 
cent  if  measured  by  the  amount  of  money  spent 
upon  them— $6,500,000. 

One  of  tne  most  interesting  features  of  the  year 
is  the  great  increase  in  municipal  participation.  In 
291  of  481  cities  for  which  complete  information  is 
available,  playground  and  recreation  center  work  is 
wholly  or  in  part  administered  by  the  municipality 
— in  38  of  them  by  recreation  commissions,  in  22  by 
recreation  departments,  divisions  or  bureaus,  in  108 
by  school  boards,  in  59  by  park  boards  and  in  9  by 
city  councils  or  boards  of  selectmen. 

Another  item  of  advance  is  the  extension  of  or- 
ganized play  into  the  winter  months  and  into  the 
late  evening  hours,  necessitating,  in  the  one  case-, 
provision  of  suitable  buildings  or  use  of  schools,  and 
in  the  other  the  lighting  of  playgrounds. 

Of  the  six  and  a  half  million  dollars  spent  on 
play,  nearly  two-thirds  were  expended  in  300  cities 
on  salaries  alone.  In  the  481  cities  included  in  the 
report,  nearly  nine  thousand  workers  were  employ- 
ed, an  increase  of  about  25  per  cent  over  those  of 
the  previous  year.    Even  more  promising  for  the  fu- 


204    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

ture  is  the  fact  that  seventy-five  cities  maintained 
training  classes  for  playground  workers  with  prob- 
ably 3,000  students,  and  that  in  at  least  thirty-four 
cities  recreation  positions  were  filled  by  civil  service 
examinations. 

What  all  this  means  for  the  moral  and  physical 
wellbeing  of  the  people  cannot  be  related  in  cold 
figures;  but  something  of  this  gain  may  be  gathered 
by  an  effort  to  visualize  the  three-quarters  of  a  mil- 
lion of  boys  and  girls  daily  frolicking  under  the  su- 
pervision of  play  leaders  on  some  four  thousand 
playgrounds,  the  six  hundred  or  more  playgrounds 
lighted  during  the  evening,  the  seven  hundred 
school  building  or  so  used  for  play  after  school 
hours,  the  half  million  young  people  enjoying 
wholesome  recreation  every  evening,  the  200  public 
bathing  beaches,  300  swimming  pools  and  400  public 
baths  in  use. 

From  France  and  from  the  training  camps  at 
home,  the  Commission  on  Training  Camp  Activities 
learns  that  in  round  figures  118,000  soldiers  partici- 
pated in  organized  basketball  alone  last  season,  not 
including  informal  games  that  would  bring  the  num- 
ber nearer  150,000.  This  game  has  some  special  ad- 
vantages in  connection  with  military  training,  one 
of  them  being  that  it  can  be  played  both  in  the  open 
and  under  cover,  and  another  that  it  makes  for  phys- 
ical and  mental  co-ordination.  Swimming  is  to  be 
taught  soldiers  in  the  training  camps  this  summer 
as  a  military  requirement. 

A  rumor  has  spread  that  home  entertainments 
and  recreation  provided  for  soldiers  and  sailors  in 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  205 

cities  and  towns  near  army  and  navy  camps  arc  im- 
pairing the  efficiency  of  the  men  for  their  military 
duties.  This  is  emphatically  denied  by  Raymond  B. 
Fosdick,  chairman  of  the  training  camp  commis- 
sions. He  admits  that  soldiers  have  not  always 
been  entertained  too  wisely,  that  hospitality  is  oc- 
casionally overdone,  and  that  sentimental  and  fool- 
ish ideas,  such  as  the  "godmother"  plan,  are  some- 
times promoted  by  well-meaning  persons  who  do 
not  understand  the  real  needs  and  wishes  of  the 
men.  "But,"  he  says,  "the  recreation  provided  in 
camp  communities  is  not  a  hit-or-miss  affair. 
Known  all  over  as  the  War  Camp  Community  Serv- 
ice, it  was  long  ago  established  by  the  Playground 
and  Recreation  Association  of  America,  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  War  and  Navy  Departments.  This 
town  hospitality  for  the  men  in  service  is  mobilized 
by  nearly  two  hundred  trained  workers.  Dances 

do  not  constitute  an  overwhelming  proportion  of  the 
recreation  program.  Athletic  meets,  community 
sings,  concerts,  church  socials,  automobile  rides, 
home  hospitality  and  many  other  forms  of  enter- 
tainment are  provided.  .  .  .  The  time  has  not  come 
for  the  public  to  keep  hands  off  the  men  in  serv- 
ice.'"—The  Survey,  May  18,  1918. 


10.     WORKERS  AND  FIGHTERS 


This  is  the  first  war  in  which  the  fighters  were 
trained  to  play.  The  hostess  houses,  neighborhood 
entertainments  and  boxing  matches  of  the  canton- 


206     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

merits  were  the  beginnings  of  carefully  systema- 
tized amusements  that  accompanied  the  righting 
forces  from  enrollment  to  demobilization. 

Phonographs  and  baseball  bats,  boxing  gloves 
and  movies  were  recognized  as  a  part  of  the  es- 
sential military  equipment. 

Recreation  was  planned  like  drill,  transport  and 
rationing.  We  tried  to  find  the  best  way  of  doing 
all  these  things.  Famous  pugilists,  wrestlers,  base- 
ball stars  and  physical  trainers  were  hired  to  ac- 
company the  army  and  navy. 

Volunteer  organizations,  indorsed  and  spon- 
sored by  the  government,  raised  hundreds  of  mil- 
lions of  dollars  to  provide  healthful,  helpful  recrea- 
tion. It  was  no  small  army  of  professional  organiz- 
ers of  amusement  that  accompanied  the  armed  host 
from  cantonment  to  lighting  front  and  back  to  hos- 
pitals, rest  camps,  convalescent  stations  and  de- 
mobilization quarters. 

Playing  and  fighting  were  intermingled  and 
both  were  the  better  done.  A  Surrey  regiment  actu- 
ally dribbled  a  football  across  No  Man's  Land  and 
into  the  German  trenches  during  an  advance,  and 
American  soldiers  tell  of  baseball  scores  spoiled  by 
shells  that  blew  away  the  bases. 

This  was  another  of  the  thousand  things  that 
made  this  war,  and  the  lessons  that  must  be  learned 
from  this  war,  unlike  all  other  wars  and  other 
lessons. 

The  careful  planning  of  play  was  official  recog- 
nition that  our  fighters  were  human  beings,  citizens 
of   a    democracy,    fighting   for   human,    democratic 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  207 

happiness.  It  was  this  that  sent  our  boys  with  joy- 
ous, joking  unconquerable  defiance  of  death  thru 
the  red  hell  of  battle  to  glorious  victory.  It  kept 
them  fit  and  brought  them  back  the  cleanest  army 
that  ever  answered  a  roll  call. 

We  learned  much  about  playing  as  well  as 
fighting  in  this  war.  We  learned  that  vicious  di- 
version could  be  fought  much  better  by  abundant 
recreation  than  by  superabundant  preaching. 

We  learned  that  play,  as  well  as  government, 
must  be  democratic.  Paternalistic  patronizing,  "up 
stage"  directing  and  dictating,  roused  resentment  or 
was  baffled  by  indifference.  Only  where  skilled 
leadership  was  inspired  by  the  spirit  of  co-operation 
was  success  attained. 

We  learned  that  such  democratic  play  is  es- 
sential to  vigorous  morale  in  fighting  or  working. 
The  boys  at  the  front  combined  playing  and  fight- 
ing and  went  into  the  "great  game"  with  the  same 
spirit  they  learned  in  gentler  sports.  When  labor 
shall  be  able  to  include  that  spirit  of  constructive 
play,  with  its  joyous  rivalry  in  accomplishment,  wtc 
shall  have  learned  one  more  great  lesson  the  war 
tried  to  teach  us. 

The  least  we  can  do  is  to  save  the  splendid  ma- 
chinery we  build  for  the  organization  of  amusement 
among  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  apply  it  to  civil 
life.  The  dull  boy  produced  by  all  work  and  no 
play  is  an  inefficient  worker  and  a  poor  citizen. 
Our  industrial  centers,  even  more  than  our  military 
camps,  need  organized,  virile,  democratic  amuse- 
ment. 


208    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Our  schools  and  colleges,  social  centers  and 
factories  can  make  splendid  use  of  the  amusement 
forces  mobilized  for  war. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  209 


CHAPTER  IV 

IV.    QUESTIONS   AND    EXERCISES  FOR 
ADVANCED  SOCIAL  STUDENTS 


-> 


1.  Ascertain  the  groups  and  their  number  which 
are  studying  the  problem  of  "Americanization" 

in   your  community.     Where   do  they   study? 
What  is  the  method  used? 

2.  Is  the  social  welfare  of  the  working  classes  of 
the  community  a  matter  of  concern  to  the  men 
or  the  women  of  the  upper  classes?  Why? 
The  New  Testament  teaches  us  to  work  for  an 
ultimate  social  order.  Is  this  order  to  be  de- 
veloped gradually  or  deferred  to  the  day  of  the 
personal  appearance  of  Christ?  This  is  an 
open  question.     Discuss  it. 

4.  Do  university-trained  men  and  women  take  as 
readily  to  social  service  as  others?  Is  it  true 
that  there  is  an  "aristocracy"  in  education?  Is 
it  true  that  there  is  an  "aristocracy"  in  the 
church?  From  whence  then  come  our  social 
ideals  and  dynamic? 

5.  What  provision  is  made  for  social  training  in 
co-operation? 

(a)  Within    the    group— thru    the    deliberative 
assembly  and  group  action? 

(b)  Without  the  group— one  group  with  other 
groups? 

(c)  What  provision  is  made  for  increasing  the 


210     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

number  and  range  of  groups  co-operated 
with  ? 

(d)  What  motives  are  utilized  in  initiating 
and  sustaining  conduct? 

(e)  What  awards  are  used  to  promote  action? 

(f)  On  what  is  emphasis  laid- — skill  achieved? 
scattered  deeds  done?  habitual  practice: 
social  solidarity?  heavenly  bliss?  approval 
of  teacher  or  group,  or  God? 

6.  In  working  for  a  new  present  social  order,  is 
one  in  danger  of  losing  the  sense  of  eternal 
values  and  individual  worth?     Discuss  freely. 

7.  It  is  said  that  "youth  is  forward-looking" — 
that  he  cares  not  so  much  for  the  past  as  the 
present  and  more  for  the  future — that  he  as- 
pires to  new  heights,  new  experiences,  new 
ideals  and  new  visions.  If  true,  does  this  de- 
mand a  corresponding  attitude  on  the  part  of 
church  leaders?    Discuss  freely. 

8.  Is  it  true  that  the  so-called  "altruistic"  callings 
or  vocations  lack  sufficient  and  efficient  work- 
ers?    Discuss. 

9.  Develop  and  write  a  list  of  the  "altruistic"  vo- 
cations. List  them  according  to  their  relative 
importance. 

10.  How  can  we  "inspire  the  religious  forces  of  the 
country  with  the  educational  ideal?" 

11.  How  can  we  "inspire  the  educational  forces  of 
the  country  with  the  religious  ideal?" 

12.  Develop  a  list  of  efficient  social  workers  whom 
you  know  are  not  connected  with  churches.     A 

list  who  are  connected  with  churches.     Note 


AMUSEMENT   IN   TOLEDO,   OHIO  211 

how  they  compare   in   both   numbers   and   na- 
tive ability. 

13.  When  the  New  Testament  was  written,  the 
early  Christians  had  not  the  status  of  citizen- 
ship, slavery  existed — a  simple  social  and  eco- 
nomic order  prevailed,  and  poverty  and  con- 
gestion as  we  now  observe  it  in  the  ghettto  and 
cities  was  an  unheard  of  state.  Does  the  mod- 
ern realization  of  this  fact  imply  the  need  of 
a  so-called  "new"  gospel,  or  the  social  applica- 
tion of  the  "old"  Gospel  with  a  new  spirit  and 
perspective  ?    Discuss  freely  and  intelligently. 

14.  Is  the  world  growing  better  or  not?  Consider 
such  factors  as :  home  life ;  modern  housing 
conditions ;  class  and  religious  prejudice  ;  child 
welfare;  social  solidarity;  education;  disease 
and  preventive  measures ;  industrial  condi- 
tions;  growth  of  ideals  and  institutions;  na- 
tional and  international  morality.  That  the 
study  may  prove  vital,  make  a  comparison  of 
modern  day  life  conditions  as  compared  with 
that  of  sixty  years  ago. 

15.  Outline  a  plan  whereby  different  races  and 
peoples  may  live  peaceably  together  in  a  com- 
munity and  be  thoroughly  assimilated  into  the 
social  whole. 

16.  Discuss  the  question  from  the  social  view: 
"Is  religion  primarily  a  matter  of  transporta- 
tion or  transformation? 


SECTION  FIVE 


APPENDICES 


216    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  I. 

A  SELECTED  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  MOVING 

PICTURES 


Arguments  in  Favor  of  Control  and  Regulation 

Urging  an  Alliance  of  Church  and  Motion  Pic- 
tures.— Literary  Digest,  Aug.  5,  1916. 

Federal     Motion     Picture     Commission  —  64th 
Congress — 1st  Session,  H.  of  R. — 697. 

Regulating    Child     Life    in     Movies. — Survey. 
Tune  17,  1916. 

Saturday    Movie   Shows   for    Children. — Helen 
Duey,  Woman's  Home  Companion,  Sept.,  1916. 

Sunday    Movie    Question.  —  N.    Y.    Dramatic 
News,  Dec.  2,  1916. 

Psychology  of  Photoplay. — Hugo  Munsterberg. 
N.  Y.  Dramatic  News,  June  3,  1916. 

What's    Wrong   With    the    Movies? — Theatre, 
June,  1916. 

"Filmitis,"  the  Modern  Malady  and  Its  Cure.— 
A.  S.  Richardson,  McClure's,  Jan.,  1916. 

Child  Welfare  and  Movies — School  and  Society 
—Jan.  12,  1918,  and  Feb.  16,  1918. 

Movies  as  an  Industry. — System,  March,  1918 
by  A.  Zukor. 

Great   Movies   Scare. — Current   Opinion,   May 
1918. 

Absurdity  in  Eyes  of  Law. — Current  Opinion 

Jan.,  1918. 

Real    Motion    Picture    Ogre. — American    City, 
July,  1918,  by  O.  G.  Cocks. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  217 

Movies  and  Morals. — Review  of  Reviews,  Oct. 
1918. 

The  Movie  "Fan."— New  Statesman,  March  30. 
1918,  by  E.  A.  Boyd. 

Program     for     Dealing    With     Movies. — Play-* 
ground,  Aug.  13,  1918,  by  J.  Lee. 

The  Film,  the  School  and  the  Child.— Woman's 
•    Home  Companion,  April,  1918. 

When  the  Movies  Injure  Health. — Literary  Di- 
gest, Jan.  20,  1917. 

Fear  of  Federal  Censorship. — Current  Opinion, 
March,  1917. 

Banning    the    Nude    in    the    Movies. — Survey. 
-    Feb.  10,  1917. 

What    to    Do    With    Picture    Show. — Outlook 
July  20,  1914. 

Hope  in  the  Movies. — Literary  Digest,  June  13, 
1914. 

Movie    Pictures    and       Health. — Independent, 
March  17,  1910. 

Eye  Strain  from  the   Movie  Habit.  —  Literary 
Digest,  May  30,  1914. 

White  Slave  Films.— Outlook,  Jan.  7,  1914. 

White  Slave  Films.— Outlook,  Feb.  14,  1914. 

Educational  Future  of  Movies. — Review  of  Re- 
views, Dec,  1914. 

Movies  and  Shop  Efficiency. — Outlook,  March 
29,  1913. 

Movies  Instead  of  Saloons. — Independent,  Feb 

28,  1916. 

Films,  Birth  and  Censorship. — Survey,  April  3, 
1915. 


218    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Moving  Pictures  In  Every  Home. — Illustrated 
World,  July,  1918. 

Moving    Pictures — Their    Effect — Your    Chil- 
dren.— Bessie  Cunningham,  1915. 
Arguments  Adverse  to  Commercialized  Movies 

Children  in  the  Movies. — Woman's  Home  Com- 
panion, Aug.,  1916. 

Indictment  of  the  Movies.  —  Current  Opinion, 
Aug.,  1918. 

Psychology   of   the    Movies. — Literary    Digest, 
Dec.  4,  1915. 

Movies  and  Morals. — Survey,  March  14,  1914. 

Hopelessness    of    the    Movies. — Life,    Feb.    1, 
1917. 

Effect  on  Education  and  Morals. — Nat.  Educa- 
tional Association,  1912. 

Movies   and  the   National   Character. — Review 
of  Reviews,  Sept.,  1910. 

Plague    of    Pictures. — Living    Age,    April    25, 
1914. 

_What  the  Movies  Mean  to  Children. — Survey, 
March  14,  1914. 

Moving  Pictures  Ad  Nauseam. — Review  of  Re- 
views, Dec,  1908. 

When  the  Movies  Go  in  for  Sociology. — Survey, 
Oct.  7,  1916. 

Movies  Destroy  Art. — Harper's  Weeklv,  April 
29,  1916. 

Immoral    Morality    of    the    Movies.  —  Current 
Opinion,  1915. 

Movie  Crimes  Against  Good  Taste. — Literary 
Digest,  Sept.  18,  1915. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  219 

Have  the  Movies  Ideals? — Forum,  May,  1918. 

Movies    and    Efficiency.  —  Illustrated    World, 
Feb.,  1916. 

Who  Gets  Your  Dime?— McClure,  Nov.,  1915. 

Life  to  the  Winds  for  the  Movies.— Technical 
World,  Feb.,  1914. 

Movies    and    the    Eyes.— Scientific    American, 
May  2,  1914. 

Cultural  Value  of  Movies.— Review  of  Reviews, 
July,  1914. 

Moving    Pictures    and    Health.— Independent, 
March,  1910. 

Picture  Show  Audiences.— Outlook,  June,  1911. 
-Moral    Havoc   Wrought    By    Picture    Show- 
Current  Opinion,  April,  1914. 

Primary   School  for  Criminals. — Good   House- 
keeping, Aug.,  1910. 

Solving    the    Cinema's    Morals.— Literary    Di- 
gest, Aug.  18,  1914. 

Class  Consciousness  and  the  Movies. — Atlantic, 

Jan.,  1915. 

Movie  Manners  and  Morals.— Outlook,  July  26, 

1916. 

Menace  of   the   Movies. — American    Magazine, 

Sept.,  1913. 

How  Movies  Corrupt  the  English  Language.— 
Literary  Digest,  July  19,  1913. 

Music    and    the    Movies. — Outlook,    Sept.    16, 

1914. 

Morals  and   Movies.  —  Harper's  Weekly,  Dec. 

19,  1914. 


220     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  II. 

LAWS     REGULATING     THE     CENSORSHIP 

OF  MOTION  PICTURES  IN  OHIO,  AS 

AMENDED,  EFFECTIVE  AUGUST 

27th,  1915 


Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
State  of  Ohio : 

Section  871-46.  Section  1.  There  is  created 
under  the  authority  and  supervison  of  the  industrial 
commission  of  Ohio  a  board  of  censors  of  motion 
picture  films.  Upon  the  taking  effect  of  this  act, 
the  Industrial  Cmmission  shall  appoint  with  the 
approval  of  the  governor,  three  persons,  one  for  one 
year,  one  for  two  years  and  one  for  three  years,  who 
shall  constitute  such  board.  Upon  the  expiration  of 
the  term  of  each  member  so  appointed  a  successor 
shall  be  appointed  in  like  manner  for  a  term  of  three 
years. 

Section  871-47.  Section  2.  The  Industrial 
Commission  shall  furnish  the  Board  of  Censors  with 
suitable  office  rooms  and  with  sufficient  equipment 
to  properly  carry  out  the  provisions  of  this  act.  The 
Board  of  Censors  may  organize  by  electing  one  of 
its  members  as  president.  The  secretary  of  the  In- 
dustrial Commission  shall  act  as  secretary  of  the 
board.  Each  member  of  the  Board  of  Censors  shall 
receive  an  annual  salary  of  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred dollars  per  year.  Such  salary  and  expenses 
shall  in  no  case  exceed  the  fees  paid  to  the  Ohio 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  221 

Board  of  Censors  for  examination  and  approval  of 
motion  picture  films. 

The  members  of  the  board  shall  be  considered 
as  employes  of  the  Industrial  Commisson  and  shall 
be  paid  as  other  employes  of  such  commission  are 
paid.  The  Industrial  Commissian  shall  appoint 
such  other  assistants  as  may  be  necessary  to  carry 
on  the  work  of  the  board. 

Section  871-48.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
Board  of  Censors  to  examine  and  censor  as  herein 
provided,  all  motion  picture  films  to  be  publicly  ex- 
hibited and  displayed  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  and 
when  necessary  the  Board  of  Censors  may  desig- 
nate certain  of  the  assistants  furnished  to  them  by 
the  Industrial  Commission,  who  under  the  direction 
and  supervision  of  the  board  may  examine  motion 
picture  films.  Such  films  shall  be  submitted  to  the 
board  and  passed  and  approved  by  the  board  before 
they  shall  be  delivered  to  the  exhibitor  for  exhibi- 
tion. The  board  shall  charge  a  fee  of  one  dollar  for 
each  reel  of  film  to  be  censored  which  docs  not  ex- 
ceed one  thousand  lineal  feet,  and  one  dollar  for 
each  additional  one  thousand  lineal  feet  or  frac- 
tional part  thereof.  All  moneys  so  received  shall 
be  paid  each  week  into  the  state  treasury  to  the 
credit  of  the  general  revenue  fund. 

Section  871-49.  Only  such  films  as  arc  in  the 
judgment  and  discretion  of  the  Board  of  Censors 
of  a  moral,  educational  or  amusing  and  harmless 
character  shall  be  passed  and  approved  by  such 
board.  When  a  film  has  been  censored  by  the  Board 
of  Censors  a  certificate  showing  the  approval  or  re- 


222    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

jection  of  such  film  shall  be  issued  to  the  party  sub- 
mitting the  film.     When  a  film  is  passed  and  ap- 
proved by  the  Board  of  Censors  such  film  shall  be 
given  an  approval  number,  which  shall  be  shown 
on  the  certificate  issued  by  such  Board  of  Censors 
to  the  party  submitting  the  film.     Such  certificate 
shall  also  show  the  title  of  such  film  and  all  elimina- 
tions ordered  from  such  film  by  the  Board  of  Cen- 
sors.   For  each  film  so  approved  there  shall  also  be 
issued  by  the  Board  of  Censors  an  official  leader  or 
stamp   of   approval   of   not   less   than   five   feet   in 
length  bearing  the  words,  "Approved  by  the  Ohio 
Board   of   Censors,"   and   the   number   assigned   to 
such  film  on  the  certificate  of  approval.     Such  offi- 
cial leader  or  stamp  of  approval  shall  also  contain 
an  outlined  map  of  the  State  of  Ohio  with  the  great 
seal   of  the   State   of   Ohio  printed   thereon.     The 
Board  of  Censors  shall  be  authorized  to  recall  any 
film  for  recensoring  or  to  revoke  any  certificate  per- 
mitting the  exhibition  of  any  film  in  the  State  of 
Ohio,  whenever  in  the  judgment  of  such  board  the 
public  welfare  requires  it.     Before  any  motion  pic- 
ture film  shall  be  publicly  exhibited  all  eliminations 
ordered  by  the  board  shall  have  been  made  by  the 
person  or  persons  loaning,  renting  or  leasing  such 
film   or  films  to  the   exhibitor  for   exhibition,   and 
there  shall  be  projected  upon  the  screen  the  design 
of  the  official  leader  or  stamp  of  approval  of  not 
less  than  three  feet  in  length,  issued  by  the  board 
for  such  film. 

Section  871-50.    Section  5.    The  Board  of  Cen- 
sors   may    work    in    conjunction    with    any    censor 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  223 

board  of  legal  status  of  other  states  as  a  censor  con- 
gress and  the  action  of  such  congress  in  approving 
or  rejecting  films  shall  be  considered  as  the  action 
of  the  board  and  all  films  passed,  approved,  stamped 
and  numbered  by  such  congress,  when  the  fees 
therefor  have  been  paid  to  the  Ohio  board,  shall  be 
considered  approved  by  such  board. 

Section  871-51.  Section  6.  Ninety  days  after 
this  act  shall  take  effect  no  films  may  be  publicly 
shown  or  exhibited  within  the  State  of  Ohio  unless 
they  have  been  passed  and  approved  by  the  board 
or  censor  congress  and  stamped  and  numbered  by 
such  board,  or  congress,  as  provided  for  herein. 

Section  871-52.  Any  person,  firm  or  corpora- 
tion who  shall  publicly  exhibit  or  show  any  motion 
picture  within  the  State  of  Ohio  unless  it  shall  have 
been  passed  and  approved  by  the  Ohio  Board  of 
Censors  or  the  Congress  of  Censors  shall,  upon  con- 
viction thereof,  be  fined  not  less  than  twenty-five 
dollars  nor  more  than  three  hundred  dollars,  or  im- 
prisoned not  less  than  thirty  days  nor  more  than 
one  year,  or  both,  for  each  offense.  Any  person, 
firm  or  corporation  who  shall  loan,  rent  or  lease  any 
film  or  films  to  any  exhibitor  or  other  person  for 
public  exhibition  within  the  State  of  Ohio  before 
such  film  or  films  shall  have  been  passed  and  ap- 
proved by  the  Ohio  Board  of  Censors  or  Congress 
of  Censors,  shall  upon  conviction  thereof,  be  fined 
not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars  nor  more  than 
three  hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  less  than 
thirty  days  nor  more  than  one  year,  or  both  for  each 
offense.     An}'  person,  firm  or  corporation  who  shall 


224    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

loan,  rent  or  lease  any  film  or  films  to  any  exhibitor 
or  other  person  for  public  exhibition  in  the  State  of 
Ohio  before  the  eliminations  ordered  by  the  Ohio 
Board  of  Censors  or  Congress  of  Censors  have  been 
made,  shall  upon  conviction  thereof,  be  fined  not 
less  than  twenty-five  dollars  nor  more  than  three 
hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  less  than  thirty 
days  nor  more  than  one  year,  or  both  for  each 
offense.  Any  person,  firm  or  corporation  who  shall 
publicly  exhibit  or  show  any  motion  picture  within 
the  State  of  Ohio  without  having  first  projected 
upon  the  screen  the  design  of  the  official  leader  or 
stamp  of  approval  of  not  less  than  three  feet  in 
length,  assigned  to  such  film  as  shown  on  the  cer- 
tificate issued  by  the  Board  of  Censors  shall  upon 
conviction  thereof,  be  fined  not  less  than  twenty- 
five  dollars  nor  more  than  three  hundred  dollars,  or 
imprisoned  not  less  than  thirty  days  nor  more  than 
one  year,  or  both  for  each  offense.  Any  person, 
firm  or  corporation  who  shall  publicly  exhibit  or 
show  any  motion  picture  within  the  State  of  Ohio 
that  contains  parts  or  sections  that  have  been  or- 
dered eliminated  by  the  Ohio  Board  of  Censors  or 
Congress  of  Censors,  or  shall  add  any  part  or  parts 
to  any  motion  picture  after  the  same  has  been  cen- 
sored and  approved  by  the  Ohio  Board  of  Censors 
or  Congress  of  Censors,  and  shall  rent  or  lease  such 
motion  picture  for  public  exhibition,  or  shall  pub- 
licly exhibit  any  motion  picture  containing  any  part 
or  parts  added  after  such  motion  picture  has  been 
censored  and  approved  by  the  Ohio  Board  of  Cen- 
sors or  Congress  of  Censors,  shall  upon  conviction 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  225 

thereof,  be  fined  not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars 
nor  more  than  three  hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned 
not  less  than  thirty  days  nor  more  than  one  year, 
or  both  for  each  offense. 

Section  871-52.  Any  person  or  agent,  employe 
or  officer  of  a  corporation  or  firm  who  shall  counter- 
feit such  hereinbefore  described  official  leader  or 
stamp  of  approval  or  use  or  have  in  his  possession 
such  a  counterfeit  leader  or  any  similar  designation 
not  issued  by  the  Board  of  Censors,  shall  upon  con- 
viction thereof,  be  fined  not  less  than  one  hundred 
dollars  nor  more  than  three  hundred  dollars,  or  be 
imprisoned  not  less  than  thirty  days  nor  more  than 
one  year,  or  both  for  each  offense. 

Section  871-52b.  A  justice  of  the  peace,  mayor 
or  police  judge  shall  have  final  jurisdiction  within 
his  county  in  a  prosecution  for  a  violation  of  any 
provision  of  the  laws  of  Ohio  relating  to  the  regu- 
lation and  censoring  of  motion  picture  films. 

Section  871-35.  Section  8.  Any  person  in  inter- 
est being  dissatisfied  with  any  order  of  such  board 
shall  have  the  same  rights  and  remedies  as  to  filing 
a  petition  for  hearing  on  the  reasonableness  and 
lawfulness  of  any  order  of  such  board  or  to  set 
aside,  vacate  or  amend  any  order  of  such  board  as 
is  provided  in  the  case  of  persons  dissatisfied  with 
the  orders  of  the   Industrial   Commission. 

NOTE:      The      foregoing     sections.    871-46,  871-47, 

871-50,  871-51  and  871-53  remain  the  same  as  passed 
April    16th,   1913. 

Sections    871-48,   871-49,   871-52.    871-S2a    and  871-52b 

are   the  same  amended   and   supplemented,   passed  by   the 

legislature  May  19th,  1915,  and  approved  bv  the  Gover- 
nor  May  25th,   1915. 


22G    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  III. 

(An    Article    Compiled   in    1915) 

THE  MOVIES— CENSORSHIP— AND  THE 
OHIO  REFERENDUM 


By  Chas.  G.  Williams,  of  the  Ohio  Board  of  Censors 

Few  comprehend  the  magnitude  of  the  motion 
picture  industry.  By  good  authority  it  is  estimated 
to  be  fifth  in  the  United  States  from  the  standpoint 
of  capital  involved.  As  a  factor  in  instruction, 
amusement,  and  general  influence,  it  has  had  few 
parallels  and  is  yet  in  its  infancy. 

Because  of  its  proportions  and  the  legitimacy 
of  its  object,  it  is  entitled  to  consideration  from  the 
government,  both  state  and  national.  But  the  gov- 
ernment in,  its  consideration  must  not  overlook  the 
duty  it  owes  to  its  citizens.  The  state  must  not 
forget  that  countless  thousands  view  motion  pic- 
tures daily,  that  a  great  percentage  of  these  are  chil- 
dren of  tender  years  whose  minds  and  lives  are  be- 
ing shaped  by  their  environment,  and  that  by  rea- 
son of  the  marvelous  manner  in  which  a  motion 
picture  appeals  to  the  mind  through  the  eye,  each 
day  there  go  forth  innumerable  suggestions  for 
good  or  evil,  dependable  upon  the  character  of  the 
film  witnessed.  Therefore  there  can  be  no  question 
of  more  vital  concern  to  the  state. 

One  can  scarcely  believe  that  film  companies 
produce  pictures  unfit  for  public  exhibition.  Never- 
theless, they  do.     Not  long  since  a  large  number  of 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  227 

the  legislators  of  Ohio  visited  the  projecting  room 
of  the  censor  offices  to  witness  eliminations  that 
had  been  ordered  by  the  board.  Some  women  who 
were  interested  in  this  work  were  present,  and  upon 
a  few  scenes  being  shown  they  bowed  their  heads 
in  shame  and  took  their  departure.  It  will  not  be 
denied  but  that  it  is  often  a  difficult  matter  to  de- 
termine the  merits  or  demerits  of  a  photo-play. 
However,  it  will  be  agreed  by  every  intelligent  and 
respectable  citizen  of  the  state  that  when  a  film  or 
part  of  the  same  is  manifestly  within  any  of  the  fol- 
lowing classes  the  right  to  exhibit  it  should  be  for- 
ever prohibited : 

Pictures  of  a  sensuous  nature  which  tend  to 
excite  sexual  passions. 

Pictures  intended  to  blaspheme  the  Deity  and 
bring  into  disrepute  the  Christian  religion. 

Pictures  of  a  coarse,  vulgar  character  contain- 
ing scenes  of  suggestion. 

Pictures  which  unduly  aggravate  religious 
strife  and  hatred. 

Pictures  assembled  in  such  a  manner  that  they 
become  technical  lessons  in  crime  and  immorality. 

Pictures  which  arouse  race  prejudice  and  are 
mob-inciting  in  their  nature. 

Pictures  containing  scenes  so  ghastly  and  grue- 
some that  they  are  dangerous  for  women  and  chil- 
dren to  behold. 

Pictures  that  proclaim  traitorous  and  anarchi- 
cal doctrines  and  those  intended  to  ridicule  the 
legally  constituted  authority  of  the  nation  and  state. 

Pictures  of  every  kind  and  character  wherein 


228    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

the  evil  shown  outweighs  the  moral  of  the  story. 

It  certainly  will  not  be  disputed  but  that  pic- 
tures clearly  within  any  of  the  above  classification 
should  not  be  exhibited.  This  being  true,  the  prob- 
lem confronts  the  state  as  to  the  most  logical  means 
to  employ  to  protect  its  citizens,  especially  children, 
against  dangerous  and  harmful  films.  To  this  there 
is  but  one  solution,  which  is — State  Censorship. 

In  April,  1913,  the  Ohio  Legislature  in  its  wis- 
dom, passed  a  law  establishing  the  Ohio  Board  of 
Censors  to  consist  of  three  members,  said  law  re- 
quiring that  all  films  be  passed  upon  by  this  board 
before  being  exhibited  in  the  state.  A  penalty  was 
provided  against  anyone  who  exhibited  a  film  that 
had  not  been  approved.  The  board  began  censuring 
on  September  22nd,  1913,  and  continued  until  De- 
cember 31st,  1913,  when  the  work  was  suspended 
pending  a  decision  by  the  United  States  Supreme 
Court  on  the  constitutionality  of  the  law.  This  de- 
cision was  rendered  in  April,  1914,  and  settled  the 
proposition  that  exhibiting  motion  pictures  does  not 
come  within  the  constitutional  provision  relative  to 
free  speech  and  the  press.  In  other  words,  it  de- 
cided specifically  that  a  state  has  a  right  to  regulate 
the  exhibition  of  motion  pictures. 

As  is  true  with  all  new  laws,  the  legislators 
could  not  foresee  the  many  contingencies  to  arise 
thereunder.  Some  of  the  film  companies  and  ex- 
changes took  advantage  of  the  law  in  many  ways. 
They  counterfeited  the  stamp  of  approval  of  said 
board  and  took  the  stamp  of  approval  given  for  an 
approval  film  and  placed  it  upon  a  film  which  had 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  229 

been  rejected.  Yet  the  exhibitor  was  the  only  party 
who  could  be  prosecuted  and  the  real  wrong-doer 
would  go  free.  In  many  instances  it  was  found 
advisable  to  order  certain  scenes  eliminated  rather 
than  reject  the  entire  film,  and  many  times  the  ex- 
changes and  film  companies  failed  to  make  the 
eliminations,  yet  no  penalty  was  attached. 

In  1915  a  bill  known  as  the  Besaw  Act,  was 
introduced  in  the  General  Assembly.  This  act 
sought  to  make  the  original  law  more  workable  and 
effective,  to  correct  the  violations  by  making  the 
exchanges  responsible,  and  to  cure  many  other  de- 
fects relative  to  its  enforcement. 

The  National  Board  of  Censors,  which  is  a  self- 
appointed  organization  under  the  influence  and  con- 
trol of  the  film  companies  and  which  is  without  any 
legal    status    or    authority    to    enforce    its    rulings, 
strenuously  opposed  this  amendment.    Their  repre- 
sentative  occupied   a   suite   of   rooms   at   the   Neil 
House  in  Columbus  practically  all  during  the  last, 
session    of    the    legislature    and     vigorously    lob- 
bied   against    this    bill.      After    the    measure    was 
carefully  considered  it  passed  both  branches  of  the 
legislature  with  an  overwhelming  majority  and  will 
be"  in  operation  August  27th,  1915,  unless  a  refer- 
endum petition  is  filed  which  will  prevent  its  opera- 
tion until  the  law  is  approved  or   rejected  at  the 
November  election. 

The  motion  picture  propaganda  as  a  whole  is 
ever  opposed  to  censorship  laws  from  a  financial 
standpoint.  It  costs  them  $1.00  per  1,000  feet  as  a 
censorship  fee  in  Ohio  and,  of  course,  is  an  incon- 


230     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

venience  to  them.  They  and  their  adjunct,  the  Na- 
tional Board,  oppose  all  forms  of  legalized  censor- 
ship. Naturally  because  of  their  interests  their  rep- 
resentations cannot  be  relied  upon.  They  misrepre- 
sent the  work  of  this  board  in  every  manner  pos- 
sible. They  are  now  seeking  a  referendum  vote 
upon  said  Besaw  Act.  Should  this  amendment  be 
defeated  at  the  November  election  the  original  law 
will  still  be  in  force  and  the  burden  for  violations 
will  still  rest  upon  the  exhibitors.  It  should  be 
stated  that  occasionally  there  is  a  manufacturer 
who  rises  above  his  financial  interests  and  advo- 
cates censorship.  Too,  there  are  many  exhibitors  in 
the  state  who  are  enthusiastic  supporters  of  censor- 
ship. 

The  Board  of  Censors,  since  their  organization, 
have  passed  upon  approximately  75,000  reels  of  film. 
This  does  not  mean  that  they  actually  screened  that 
many,  as  there  are  usually  several  copies  of  the 
same  film  running  in  the  state,  making  it  necessary 
to  actually  view  but  the  one  copy.  The  records 
show  that  it  is  necessary  to  view  thirty-eight  reels 
per  day ;  this,  divided  among  three  members,  gives 
ample  time  for  the  consideration  of  the  picture. 
The  records  also  show  that  the  board  has  found  it 
necessary  to  reject  in  their  entirety  4.08%  of  the 
films  submitted,  and  that  eliminations  are  ordered 
in  26.71%,  making  approximately  31%  containing 
dangerous  and  harmful  scenes  in  their  original  form. 
A -complete  record  is  kept  of  each  film.  There  is 
perhaps  not  a  department  in  the  state  wherein  the 
records  are  more  accurately  preserved  than  in  said 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  231 

department.  The  salaries  of  the  board  and  all  ex- 
penses in  connection  with  their  work  are  more  than 
paid  by  the  receipts  from  censorship  fees. 

Ohio  has  been  the  pioneer  state  in  the  censor- 
ship   movement.      Kansas   and    Pennsylvania    have 
followed  and  many  others  will  soon  be  in  this  rank. 
The  state  is  the  only  logical  unit.     If  a  film  is  ob- 
jectionable for  one  city  it  is  likewise  for  every  city 
in  the  state,  and  vice  versa  if  the  film  is  good.    Cen- 
sorship must  have  back  of  it  the  executive  authority 
of  the  state.    This  movement  in  Ohio  is  not  a  politi- 
cal issue;  the  law  was  passed  in  1913  and  was  per- 
fected in   1915,  regardless  of  the  political  faith  of 
the  legislators,  who  supported  it  in  both  instances 
overwhelmingly.     It  is   not    associated    with     any- 
other  issue. 

As  heretofore  stated,  the  motion  picture  propa- 
ganda will  ever  oppose  censorship  which  censors. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  the  people  of  Ohio  will  never  per- 
mit the  state  to  surrender  its.  authority  to  safeguard 
the  public  morals  in  this  respect.  In  the  meantime 
the  manufacturer  can  protect  his  interests  by  mak- 
ing clean  films. 


EXHIBIT  IV. 

A    LIST    OF    INCORPORATED    COMPANIES 

AND     OWNERS     OF     PROPERTY     CON- 

NECTED    WITH    MOVING   PICTURE 

INDUSTRY    OF    TOLEDO 


1.     Animated   Advertising  Service   Co.,  619  Mon- 
roe Street.    Officials:    C.  II.  Whitcomb,  Presi- 


23?   MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

dent;  A.  H.  Mclntyre,  Vice-President;  P.  H. 
Gross,  Secretary;  O.  W.  Nelson,  Treasurer. 

2.  The  Ashley  Realty  Co.,  56  Zenobia  Building; 
incorporated  in  1908;  capitalization  $100,000. 
Officials:  C.  S.  Ashley,  President;  F.  A. 
Cable,  Secretary. 

3.  E.  H.  Close  Realty  Co.,  513-15  Madison  Ave- 
nue; incorporated  in  1908;  capitalization  $25,- 
000.  Officials:  E.  H.  Close,  President;  P.  A. 
Harsch,  Vice-President. 

4.  Fifty  Associates  Co.,  402-3  Produce  Ex- 
change; incorporated  in  1911;  capitalization 
$1,000,000.  Officials:  S.  O.  Richardson,  Jr., 
President;  M.  O.  Baker,  Vice-President;  W. 
C.    Carr,   Treasurer;   E.   H.    Cady,   Secretary; 

C.  D.  Smith,  Manager. 

5.  The  Gardner  &  Solether  Theatres  Co.,  489 
Valentine  Building.  Officials:  J.  B.  Gardner, 
President;  L.  B.  Solether,  Secretary. 

6.  Maumee  Amusement  Co.,  409  St.  Clair  Street ; 
incorporated  in  1910;  capitalization  $105,000. 
Officials :  E.  D.  Stair,  President ;  J.  M.  Loner- 
gan,  Treasurer;  W.  B.  Moore,  Secretary. 

7.  Pictures  Development  Co.,  226  Nasby  Build- 
ing; incorporated  in  1917;  capitalization  $150,- 
000.  Officials:  B.  J.  Lindgren,  President;  F. 
E.  Kollar,  Vice-President;  J.  D.  Rogers,  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer. 

8.  Toledo  Hippodrome  Co.,  226  Summit  Street; 
incorporated    in    1913;   capitalization    $20,000. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  231 

Officials:    L.  B.  Curtis,  President;  R.  H.  Saw- 
telle,  Vice-President. 

People's  Amusement  Co.,  223-27  St.  Clair 
Street;  incorporated  in  1913;  capitalization 
$25,000.  Officials:  R.  P.  Hull,  President;  F. 
C.  Hull,  Vice-President;  H.  C.  Harter,  Presi- 
dent; E.  A.  Zorn,  Secretary  and  Manager. 
Total  capital  invested,  $1,425,000. 


234    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  V. 

PROPOSED    FEDERAL    MOTION    PICTURE 

COMMISSION,  1915 


(63rd  Congress,  3d  Session.    Report  No.  1411) 

On  February  16,  1915,  a  Committee  on  Educa- 
tion submitted  the  following  report :  "The  neces- 
sity for  censorship  of  motion  pictures  is  beyond 
question.  It  has  been  acknowledged  by  a  large 
number  of  film  manufacturers  by  their  voluntary 
submission  of  their  films  to  unofficial  board  of  cen- 
sors for  approval.  That  the  public  demands  this 
censorship  is  demonstrated  by  the  scrupulous  regu- 
larity with  which  the  producers  exhibit  such  ap- 
proval at  the  end  of  each  picture." 

After  commenting  on  the  inadequacy  of  the  so- 
called  "National  Board  of  Censorship,"  which,  by 
its  very  unofficial  nature  cannot  exercise  effective 
censorship,  it  charges :  that  state  and  municipal 
censorship  is  also  inadequate  for  the  following  rea- 
sons : 

"Motion  picture  films  are  essentially  articles  of 
interstate  commerce.  They  are  not  manufactured 
for  use  in  any  one  state  or  municipality,  but  practi- 
cally every  picture  is  exhibited  in  all  of  the  States 
of  the  Union,  and  many  are  exported.  Innumer- 
able inspections  by  local  boards  work  great  hard- 
ships on  the  industry.  In  the  absence  of  any  offi- 
cial Federal  censorship  the  state  and  cities  are  find- 
ing it  necessary  to  establish  these  local  boards  to 
prevent   the   exhibition   of   immoral,   indecent,   and 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  2$5 

obscene  pictures.  The  only  adequate  method  of 
censoring  motion  pictures  is  to  be  had  in  a  Federal 
Commission. 

The  bill  which  this  report  accompanies,  pro- 
vides for  the  appointment  by  the  president  of  five 
commissioners  and  a  supplementary  force  of  ad- 
visory] commissioners  and  deputy  commissioners 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Commission.  The  Commis- 
sion is  required  to  license  all  films  intended  for 
interstate  commerce,  or  which  are  to  be  offered  for 
copyright  unless  it  finds  that  such  film  is  obscene, 
indecent,  immoral,  inhuman,  or  depicts  a  full  fight 
or  a  prize  fight,  or  is  of  such  a  character  that  its 
exhibition  would  end  to  impair  the  health  or  cor- 
rupt the  morals  of  children  or  adults  or  incite  to 
crime." 

It  is  further  provided  that  a  film  not  having 
been  licensed  by  the  Commission  shall  not  be  trans- 
ported in  interstate  commerce  and  shall  not  be 
granted  a  copyright.  The  exhibition  of  unlicensed 
pictures  at  places  of  amusement  for  pay  in  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  or  in  any  of  the  Territories  of 
the  United  States,  or  any  place  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  United  States  is  prohibited.  The  pen- 
alty for  a  violation  of  this  act  is  a  fine  of  not  more 
than  S500  or  imprisonment  not  more  than  one  year, 
or  both,  and  the  confiscation  of  the  films  used 
illegally. 

It  is  provided  that  a  fee  be  charged  for  the 
licenses  to  defray  the  expense  of  the  Commission. 


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238    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  VII. 

A      QUESTIONNAIRE     ON      MOTION      PIC- 
TURES FOR  PUBLIC  OR  PRIVATE 

SCHOOLS. 


In  several  cities  an  attempt  has  been  made 
with  considerable  success,  to  secure  answers  from 
the  school  children  concerning  the  following-  ques- 
tions. You  will  readily  see  that  only  serious  ans- 
wers are  desirable — as  this  is  a  social  study.  If 
you  wish,  you  may  sign  your  name,  but  whether 
you  do  or  not,  your  name  will  not  be  mentioned 
in  any  personal  manner  whatever.  The  study  will 
be  more  complete  if  you  will  write  just  as  freely 
and  truly  as  you  can. 

1.     Do  you  attend  motion  pictures  regularly? 


2.  How  many  times  did  you  attend  the  last 

week? State  the  days  you  attended 

Afternoon 

Evening 

3.  How  old  were  you  when  you  first  attended 

a  public  moving  picture  house? Were 

you  then  accompanied  by  older  persons? 

What  is  your  present  age? 

4.  State    your    preference    for    the    following 
type  of  plays.     Mark  with  an  X : 

Comedy    Historical  '. 

Fighting Vampire  Life 

Killing    Travel  Scenes 

Shooting    Drama    


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  239 

Thrills    Pathos  or  Sad 

War  Scenes Adventure    

Kissing     Fairy  Tales 

Love-making-    Educational 

Animals    Current    Events 

Babies     Sex   Problems 

Society   Morality  Plays 

Hunting   Detective    Stories 

Wild  West  Scenes....  Other  Kinds   

Indians    

5.     What  admission  fee   do  you  usually  pay? 


6.     What   play-house   do   you   usually   attend? 


7.  What  do  you  think  of  motion  pictures  for 
children  exclusively? 

8.  Have  you  any  criticism  or  suggestions  to 
make  concerning  the  type  of  pictures  now  ex- 
hibited in  public  play-houses? 

9.  When  unaccompanied  by  either  parents, 
relatives  or  older  persons,  is  inquiry  ever  made 
as  to  your  age? 

10.  What   other   kinds    of   amusement,    either 

public  or  private,  do  you  prefer? 

Give  the  order  of  your  preference 

11.  Cnn  you  recall  any  lasting  impression  for 
either  good  or  ill.  that  you  have  received  from  the 


movies  : 


12.     Do    you    also    attend    vaudeville    or    bur- 
lesque shows? How  many  times 

a   week  ? What   days  ? 

Where  do  you  usually  attend? 


240    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Accompanied  by  parents? 

13.  What  do  you  think  of  a  Children's  The- 
atre for  Toledo  ? 

14.  Do    you    frequently    attend    the    "movies" 

unchaperoned? With  a  friend? 

What  is  age  of  your  friend? 

15.  Do   motion    pictures    need   better   censor- 
ship, or  are  they  all  right? Discuss 

freely Name 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  241 

EXHIBIT  VIII. 

INOPERATIVE  LAWS— WHY? 


General   Code  of  the   State  of   Ohio— Sabbath 

Desecration 

("I  am  in  favor  of  Sunday  legislation  and  a 
strict  observance  of  the  Christian  Sabbath." — Hon. 
William  McKinley.) 

Business  Transactions  on  Sunday- 
Section  13044.  Whoever,  being  over  four- 
teen years  of  age,  engages  in  common  labor  or 
opens  or  causes  to  be  opened  a  building  or  place 
for  transaction  of  business,  or  requires  a  person 
in  his  employ  or  under  his  control  to  engage  in 
common  labor  on  Sunday,  on  complaint  made 
within  ten  days  thereafter,  shall  be  fined  not  less 
than  fifty  dollars  nor  more  than  one  hundred  dol- 
lars and  imprisoned  not  less  than  five  days  nor 
more  than  thirty  days.     (R.  S.  7033.) 

Barbering  on  Sunday 

Section  13047.  Whoever  engages  in  the  busi- 
ness of  barbering  on  Sunday,  shall  be  fined  not  less 
than  fifteen  dollars,  and  for  each  subsequent 
offense,  shall  be  fined  not  less  than  twenty  dollars 
nor  more  than  thirty  dollars  or  imprisoned  in  jail 
not  less  than  twenty  days  nor  more  than  thirty 
davs,  or  both.     (90  v.  79,  Paragraph   1.) 


242    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 


Exhibiting  Dramatic  Performances  on  Sunday 

Section  13049.  Whoever,  on  Sunday,  par- 
ticipates in  or  exhibits  to  the  public  with  or 
without  charge  for  admittance,  in  a  building, 
room,  ground,  garden  or  other  place,  a  theatri- 
cal or  dramatic  performance  or  an  equestrian 
or  circus  performance  of  jugglers,  acrobats, 
rope  dancing  or  sparring  exhibition,  variety 
show,  negro  ministrelsy,  living  statuary,  bal- 
looning, baseball  playing,  ten  pins  or  other 
game  of  similar  kind,  *  *  *  on  complaint 
within  twenty  days  thereafter,  shall  be  fined 
not  more  than  one  hundred  dollars  or  im- 
prisoned in  jail  not  more  than  six  months,  or 
both.     (R.  S.  Sec.  4364-20.) 

The  Court  of  Appeals  in  Ross  County  in  the 
:ase  of  Myers  vs.  the  State  of  Ohio,  decided 
February  29,  1916,  that: 

"A  moving  picture  show  is  a  theatrical  per- 
formance and  is  prohibited  on  Sunday  by  Sec- 
ion  13,049,  General  Code  of  Ohio." 


Closing  of  Saloon  on  Sunday 
Section  13050.  Whoever,  on  Sunday,  sells  in- 
toxicating liquor,  whether  distilled,  malt  or  vinous, 
or  permits  a  place,  other  than  a  regular  drug  store, 
where  such  intoxicating  liquor  is  sold  or  exposed 
for  sale  on  other  days  to  be  open  or  remain  open 
on  Sunday,  shall  be  fined  not  less  than  twenty-five 
dollars  nor  more  than  one  hundred  dollars,  and  for 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  243 

each  subsequent  offense,  shall  be  fined  not  more 
than  two  hundred  dollars  or  imprisoned  in  jail  or 
city  prison  not  less  than  ten  days  nor  more  than 
thirty  days,  or  both.  (R.  S.  Sec.  4364-20.) 
Hunting,  Fishing,  Etc.,  on  Sunday 
Section  13048.  Whoever  being  over  fourteen 
years  of  age,  engages  in  sporting,  rioting,  quarrel- 
ing, hunting,  fishing  or  shooting  on  Sunday,  on 
complaint  made  within  ten  days  thereafter,  shall  be 
fined  not  more  than  twenty  dollars  or  imprisoned 
not  more  than  twenty  days,  or  both.  (R.  S.  Sec. 
7032.) 

Having  Hunting  Implements  on  Sunday 
Section    13053.     Whoever,   in   the   open   air  on 
Sunday,   has   implements   for   hunting  or   shooting 
with  intention  to  use  them  for  that  purpose,  shall 
be  fined  not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars  nor  more 
than  two  hundred  dollars.     (97  v.    Paragraph  15.) 
Lord's  Day  Alliance  of  Ohio, 
Auxiliary  to  the 
Lord's  Day  Alliance  of  the  United  States 
President,  Rev.  A.  M.  Courtenay,  D.  D. 
State  Secretary,  Rev.  H.  A.  Straub,  D.  D. 
Slogan:— S.    O.    S.— Save    Ohio's    Sabbath 


244    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  IX 

LOCAL  OPTION— (OHIO  STATE  SCREEN 

LEAGUE) 


A  movement  to  provide  local  option  in  motion 
picture  entertainment. 

A  BRIEF  EXPLANATION  OF  OUR  AIMS 

AND  PURPOSES 

The  preparation  and  presentation  of  motion 
picture  entertainment  in  this  country  has  grown 
to  gigantic  proportions  in  the  last  several  years. 
The  participation  of  the  public  as  patrons  of  this 
sort  of  entertainment  has  become  a  definite  fixed 
fact.  This  fact  has  a  vast  social  significance.  Its 
importance  is  not  always  realized  by  those  wTho 
gives  the  subject  only  casual  attention. 

The  Ohio  Screen  League,  which  is  organized 
for  the  purpose  of  safeguarding  the  interests  of  the 
public,  as  well  as  of  its  members,  wishing  to  estab- 
lish definitely  the  legal  status  of  the  industry  and 
those  connected  with  it,  is  asking  at  the  hands  of 
the  General  Assembly  of  Ohio  the  enactment  of 
the  following  measure : 

Be  It  Enacted  By  the  General  Assembly  of  the 

State  of  Ohio 

Section  1.  That  Section  13049  of  the  General 
Code  be  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  13049.  Whoever,  on  Sunday,  partici- 
pates in  or  exhibits  to  the  public  with  or  without 
charge  for  admittance,  in  a  building,  room,  ground, 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  245 

garden,  or  other  place,  the  projection  of  motion  pic- 
tures in  the  forenoon,  a  theatrical  or  dramatic  per- 
formance other  than  motion  picture  exhibitions  or 
an  equestrian  or  circus  performance  of  jugglers,  ac- 
robats, rope  dancing  or  sparring  exhibition,  variety 
show,  negro  minstrelsy,  living  statuary,  ballooning, 
baseball  playing  in  the  forenoon,  ten  pins  or  other 
games  of  similar  kind  or  participants  in  keeping  a 
low  or  disorderly  house  of  resort,  or  sells,  disposes 
of  or  gives  away,  ale,  beer,  porter  or  spiritous  liquor 
in  a  building  appendant  or  adjacent  thereto,  where 
such  show,  performance,  or  exhibition  is  given,  or 
house  or  place  is  kept,  on  complaint  within  twenty 
(20)  days  thereafter,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than 
One  Hundred  ($100.C0)  Dollars  or  imprisoned  in 
jail  not  more  than  six  months,  or  both. 

Section  2.  That  said  original  section  13049  of 
the  General  Code  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  re- 
pealed. 

The  words  printed  in  bold  face  are  the  only 
changes  in  the  existing  statute. 

The  purpose  of  the  bill  is  primarily  to  give  to 
each  community  complete  and  definite  local  option 
in  the  matter  of  motion  pictures.  The  principle 
of  local  option  is  well  established  in  Ohio  law  and 
has  demonstrated  its  popularity  in  the  solution  of 
questions    upon    which    all    communities    did    not 

agree. 

The  reason  that  a  definite  enactment  is  neces- 
sary is  that  various  courts  of  law  have  held  differ- 
ently regarding  the  status  of  the  motion  picture  the- 
atre    and     particularly     concerning     performances 


246    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

given  on  Sunday.  Some  courts  have  held  a  motion 
picture  presentation  to  be  a  theatrical  or  dramatic 
performance.  Other  courts  have  held  that  motion 
pictures  do  not  properly  come  under  this  classifica- 
tion. 

If  the  proposed  amendment  to  Section  13049 
should  be  adopted,  it  is  still  in  the  power  of  any 
community,  acting  through  its  council  or  other  gov- 
erning body,  by  virtue  of  Section  3657  of  the  Gen- 
eral Code,  to  prohibit  the  exhibition  of  motion  pic- 
tures on  Sunday;  in  other  words,  it  would  permit 
absolute  local  option  on  this  matter. 

The  Ohio  State  Screen  League  stands  squarely 
on  two  propositions.  Neither  it  nor  its  members 
desire  to  open  houses  contrary  to  the  public  opinion 
prevailing  in  their  communities.  The  Ohio  State 
Screen  League  accepts  and  endorses  the  principle 
of  state  censorship  of  all  films  and  abides  by  the 
decision  of  the  censors.  Nothing  in  the  proposed 
bill  is  in  any  wise  intended  to  affect  the  quality  or 
standard  of  exhibitions  now  being  given  in  Ohio. 

In  Ohio  it  is  definitely  established  that  a  few 
communities  do  not  desire  any  exhibitions  on  Sun- 
day. In  many  other  communities  it  is  equally  clear 
that  Sunday  exhibitions  not  alone  are  popular,  but 
are  a  definite  civic  need.  The  popularity  of  the  mo- 
tion picture  theatre  as  a  place  of  resort  for  those 
desiring  pleasure  or  relaxation  is  clearly  estab- 
lished. The  near  approach  of  prohibition  and  the 
consequent  abolition  of  the  saloon  emphasize  the 
need    of    increased    facilities    for    providing    clean, 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  247 

wholesome  entertainment  at  a  low  cost  for  the  citi- 
zenry of  the  state. 

In  congested  centers  such  as  Akron,  Ports- 
mouth, Piqua,  Youngstown,  etc.,  where  a  vary  large 
percentage  of  the  population  is  engaged  in  industry 
for  a  fixed  number  of  hours  daily,  there  is  a  need 
for  relaxation  and  pleasure  which  cannot  be  met 
without  the  motion  picture  theatre. 

Employers  of  labor  are  free  to  express  the  con- 
viction that  unless  their  employes  can  be  pleasantly 
entertained  during  their  free  hours,  it  is  not  pos- 
sible to  secure  the  help  desired. 

There  are  in  the  more  congested  areas  of  the 
state  thousands  of  persons  whose  only  approach 
to  a  home  is  a  one-half  or  a  one-third  interest  in  a 
bed  room  which  is  occupied  for  the  remainder  of 
the  time  by  someone  other  than  themselves.  Such 
persons  must,  for  their  moral  and  physical  health, 
have  places  where  they  can  be  entertained  at  the 
minimum  expense  without  danger  to  their  moral  or 
physical  well-being.  The  motion  picture  theatre 
fulfills  this  condition  as  no  other  institution  at  pres- 
ent known  to  the  American  people. 

Another  of  the  problems  of  industry  is  to  pre- 
vent so  far  as  possible  the  flocking  of  the  population 
to  large  cities.  Authorities  on  social  science  agree 
that  it  is  the  superior  facilities  for  entertainment 
that  account,  as  much  as  any  one  fact,  for  the 
tendency  of  population  to  move  to  the  cities. 

The  passage  of  the  proposed  measure  is  a  dis- 
tinct move  in  placing  the  smaller  communities  on 
the  same  level  with  the  larger  ones  in  competing 


248     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

for  the  attention  of  those  who  desire  relaxation. 

For  a  great  many  persons  Sunday  is  the  most 
feasible  day  for  amusement,  particularly  for  the  en- 
tire family.  The  preservation  of  the  family  as  a 
social  unit  is  fundamental  to  the  welfare  of  the 
nation. 

The  bill  provides  expressly  against  the  opera- 
tion of  motion  picture  houses  during  the  morning 
of  Sundays  when  it  might  conceivably  interfere 
with  the  spirit  of  worship  that  should  prevail  at 
that  time. 

The  Ohio  State  Screen  League  will  not  coun- 
tenance either  on  Sunday  or  any  day  the  presenta- 
tion of  questionable  films.  Nor  will  it  countenance 
any  member  or  any  exhibtor  not  a  member,  acting, 
or  attempting  to  act,  in  contravention  to  the  ex- 
pressed will  of  the  community  in  which  he  operates, 
as  that  will  may  be  expressed  by  the  city  council 
or  other  governing  body. 

The  Ohio  State  Screen  League  contends  that 
the  operation  of  their  places  of  business  in  conform- 
ity with  the  law  herein  proposed  in  no  wise  inter- 
feres with   the  desire  of  those  who   mav  wish   to 

mf 

spend  their  Sundays  in  a  different  manner.  They 
submit  that  there  is  neither  noise  nor  disorder  in- 
cident to  the  operation  of  a  motion  picture  theatre. 
There  is  no  unusual  congregation  of  people  at  one 
time,  but  a  more  steady  flow  in  and  out  than  for  any 
other  type  of  entertainment  popular  with  the 
American  people. 

The  Ohio  State  Screen  League  submits  the 
above  measure  in  an  effort  to  fix  definitely  its  legal 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  249 

status  and  to  contribute  as  much  as  it  may  towards 
the  solution  of  the  social  problems  now  pressing 
for  consideration  on  every  hand. 

Publication  and  distribution  of  this  pamphlet  is 
authorized  by  the 

OHIO  STATE  SCREEN  LEAGUE, 

71  East  State  St.,  Columbus,  O. 

H.  H.  Lustig,  President,  Cleveland. 

Fred  Desberg,  Sec.  and  Treas.,  Cleveland. 

Gus  Muller,  Executive  Sec,  Columbus. 

Exhibitors'  Executive  Committee. 

Max  Stearn,  Majestic  Theatre,  Columbus. 

J.  Bernard  Gardiner,  Toledo. 

John  W.  Weinig,  Cincinnati. 

C.  AW  Kline,  Akron. 

Harry  YV.  Kress,  Piqua. 


SABBATH  "MOVIE"  BILL  IS  KILLED. 


Churchmen's    Action     in     Amending     Measure    in 

House,  Responsible. 

Columbus,  May  8. — Friends  of  the  measure 
killed  the  Banker  Sunday  movie  bill  in  the  house 
today  after  churchmen  had  amended  it  so  as  to  bar 
pictures  during  Sunday  school  and  church  services. 

The  bill  in  its  original  form  sought  to  legalize 
motion  picture  shows  except  in  the  forenoon  Sun- 
days. Blauser,  of  Fairfield,  offered  an  amendment 
allowing  shows  only  between  1  and  7  p.  m.  and 
again  after  9  p.  m.,  which  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of 
almost  two  to  one. 


250     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

J.  A.  Reynolds,  of  Cleveland,  then  moved  to 
postpone  the  measure  indefinitely  which  carried. 

He  said  most  of  the  men  who  supported  the 
Blauser  amendment  were  opposed  Wednesday  to 
the  Dunspaugh  bill  forbidding  night  work  for 
women  in  certain  occupations  and  prohibiting  alto- 
gether employment  of  women  in  certain  other  lines 
of  work. 

"If  the  Dunspaugh  bill  had  contained  the  word 
'hogs'  instead  of  'women'  these  men  would  have 
voted  for  it,"  said  Reynolds. — The  Times,  May  9, 
1919. 


EXHIBIT  X 

MISDEMEANORS 


Children   Under    Seventeen   Years    Not   to   Attend 

Dance  Halls,  Etc. 

Section  753.  "It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  per- 
son being  the  keeper,  manager,  or  who  has  the  con- 
trol or  direction  of  any  dance  house,  concert  room 
or  saloon,  theatre,  transient  museum,  or  skating 
rink  within  the  limits  of  the  City  of  Toledo,  to  per- 
mit any  child  actually  or  apparently  under  the  age 
of  seventeen  years,  to  enter,  remain,  or  be  in  any 
such  dance  house,  concert  room,  or  saloon,  theatre, 
transient  museum  or  skating  rink,  unless  accom- 
panied by  its  parent,  guardian,  or  other  adult  mem- 
ber of  the  family." 

Codified  General  Ordinances  of  the  City  of  To- 
ledo, 1907  (Vol.  XIII,  399,  Sec.  1.) 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  251 

EXHIBIT  XI 

A  SCHEDULE  OF  MOTION  PICTURE 
SURVEY  IN  TOLEDO 


1.  Name  of  Theatre 

2.  Location    

3.  Owner  of  Building 

Owner  of  Business 

4.  Number  of  Seats 

5.  Ventilation — Good Fair Poor 

6.  Sanitation  and  Ventilation — Good 

Fair Poor 

7.  Number  of  Employees — Males 

Females Wages 

8.  Approximate  Valuation  of  Land  and  Buildings 


9.     Approximate  Rental   Fees  of  Buildings 


10.  Approximate  Cost  of  Equipment 

Machines Screens 

Tickets 

11.  Approximate  Cost  of  Film  Service   (week).. 


12.  Approximate  Cost  of  Orchestra 

Pianos Organs 

13.  Approximate  Cost  of  Advertising 

14.  Approximate  Cost  of  Lighting 

Heating Taxes,  Federal 

County 


252    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

15.  Attendance Proportion  Adult 

Males Females 

Proportion  Boys Girls 

Approximate  Ages Admission 

fees 

16.  Proximity  to  Rooming  Houses 

Dance  Halls Saloons 

17.  Character  of   Photoplay 

18.  Noticeable  Effect  on  Audience 

19.  State  Censorship  Laws 

20.  Statistical  List  of  Picture  Houses,  Owners  and 
Location. 

Date  of  Visitation 

Afternoon Evening 

Number 

Name  of  Investigator 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  253 

EXHIBIT  XII 

A  QUESTIONNAIRE  ON  PLAY  AND 
RECREATION 


(A  Suggestion  for  Community  Work  by  Churches) 
Where  Do   You  Play? 

Own  Yard Vacant  Lot 

Friend's  Yard Woods 

Play-room  in  Own  House 

Play-room  in  Friend's  House 

High  School  Athletic  Field 

Grade  School  Grounds 

Sidewalk Street 

Railroad  Cars Playgrounds 

River  or  Water Park 

Pleasure  Drives Church 

x  .  1\1 .  v^ .  J\ x.   V  V .  (^ .  J\ 

Other  Places  not  Mentioned 


What  Do  You  Play? 
(Mark  with  an  X) 

Basketball    Socials    ... 

Baseball    Football   .  . 

Camping Croquet    .  . 


254    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Coasting   Bowling    

Billiards    Swimming    

Tennis Tag 

Skating   Pull- Away    

Trick   Ball Hide  and  Seek 

Marbles    Hockey   

Parties    Cards 

Prisoner's   Goal Dominoes  or  Chess. 

Checkers    Movies ....   Where  ? 


Vaudeville Where?, 

Burlesque Where?. 

Other  Places  Not  Mentioned 


Hiking   

Are  You  a  Member  of  the  Following  Clubs, 
Societies  or  Groups? 

(Mark  with  an  X) 

Boy  Scouts   

Girl  Scouts  

Camp  Girls   

Y.  W.  C.  A 

Y.  M.  C.  A 

Debating  Societies   

Dramatic  Clubs   

Jewish  Educational  League 

Art  Museum   

School  Athletic  Club 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  256 

Other  Athletic  Clubs 

Yacht  Clubs 

Dancing-   Groups Public 

Educational  Classes  (not  school) 

Red  Cross  Work 

Patriotic  Organizations   

Church  Clubs   

School  Societies  (not  mentioned) 

Other  Forms  of  Recreation 


How  many  evenings  do  you  spend  at  home   each 
week  ?   


Story  Telling  Groups 


Week  End  Activities 

(Friday  noon  to  Monday  morning) 

Work Day    Hours .  .  . 

Play Day    Hours 

Church Where  ? Hours .  .  . 

Sunday  School Where? 

Go  Out  of   Town  ? 

Automobiling    

Other  Activities  Not  Mentioned 


256    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Nature  of  Your  Work. 

Store No.  of  Hours 

Home No.  of  Hours 

Selling  Papers No.  of  Hours 

Errands  and  Delivery.  .  .No.  of  Hours 

Care  of  children  in   Home 

Care  of  children  outside  of  Home 

War  Gardens    

Selling  War  Savings  Stamps 

WTork  for  Boy  Scouts 

Work  for  Girl  Scouts 

Did  you  buy  Liberty  Bonds? 

What  is  your  present  age? 


What  Suggestions  Have  You  to  Make  for  Better 

Play  and  Recreation  Facilities  in  Your 

Community.    Write  freely  and  seriously. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  257 

EXHIBIT  XIII 

MOTION  PICTURES  IN   EAST  TOLEDO. 


There  are  six  moving  picture  houses  on  the 
East  Side  (March  22,  1919).  One  of  these  is  in- 
operative in  winter  months.  The  six  places  have  a 
seating  capacity  of  2420  persons. 

The  shows  are  usually  "run"  in  the  evening 
with  an  average  of  two  exhibitions.  The  total  at- 
tendance is  not  far  from  4000  persons  each  day. 
The  admission  fee  ranges  from  five  to  eighteen 
cents. 

Characteristic  of  many  suburban  or  neighbor- 
hood theatre  in  Toledo,  a  large  number  of  unchap- 
eroned  children  are  seen  in  these  places  in  the  even- 
ing. Particularly  acute  is  the  large  number  of  chil- 
dren in  attendance  on  Saturdays  and  Sundays. 

With  one  notable  exception,  the  majority  of  the 

playhouses  have  improper  sanitary  and  ventilating 

facilities.     The  management  and  care  of  the  houses 

can    be    greatly     improved    upon.      The     need    of 

proper  janitor  service  is  very  marked. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  pictures  presented 
to  the  children  are  of  the  "vampire/1  "blood  and 
thunder"  and  Wild  West  type.  The  ill  effect  of 
these  pictures  may  be  noted  in  the  animated  conver- 
sation of  the  youth  in  the  East  Side  schools.  An 
objectionable  practice  of  many  of  the  youth  was 
observed  in  the  breaking  of  so-called  "stink-balls" 
which  fill  the  room  with  a  most  offensive  odor.  One 
manager  stated  that  he  was  determined  to  bring  the 


258    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

offenders  if  detected,  before  the  local  Juvenile  Court. 
This  particular  manager  seemed  desirous  of  having 
parents  accompany  children  to  his  theatre,  claiming 
that  the  responsibility  must  be  assumed  by  the  par- 
ents for  any  suggestions  or  picking  up  of  evil  ac- 
quaintances that  may  occur. 

Three  of  the  houses  are  operated  in  close  prox- 
imity to  saloons.  One  theatre  has  a  dance-hall  above 
the  show.  Promiscuous  mingling  with  intoxicated 
of  all  nationalities.  The  specific  dangers  of  the  East 
Side  Motion   Pictures  houses  are  as  follows : 

Lack  of   Community  control  and  supervision  : 
Apparent  indifference  of  parents,  as  noted     in 

(a)  Indiscriminate  patronage  by  children. 

(b)  Promiscuous  mingling  with  social  unde- 
sirables. 

(c)  Lack  of  proper  chaperonage. 

(d)  Night  attendance  and  ill  effect  on  school 
work. 

(e)  Indifference  toward  the  degrading  of  social 
ideals ;  the  misrepresentation  of  human  life, 
and  the  perversion  of  popular  opinions  con- 
cerning sacred  and  natural  relationships. 

(f)  Supine  attitude  in  allowing  the  play  life  of 
the  children  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  pro- 
fessionals, who  have  little  or  no  conception 
and,  as  little  care,  for  truly  constructive 
play. 

(g)  Unconcern  towards  the  creation  of  a  vig- 
orous social  environment,  and  the  need  of 
a  study,  work  and  play  program. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  259 

(h)    Misuse  of  leisure  the  greatest  hindrance  to 
civilization  and  true  Americanism. 

Investigation  has  revealed  that  a  most  desirable 
building  now  used  for  the  exhibition  of  pictures  can  be 
secured  at  a  reasonable  figure.  The  building  is  strategi- 
cally located  in  the  centre  of  the  most  thickly  settled 
district  of  Ironville  and  with  little  or  no  alteration  could 
be  used  in  the  work  of  Americanizing  our  foreign  and 
alien   citizens. 


EXHIBIT  XIV 

"MOVIES"  FOR  SOCIAL  WORKERS 
A  COMMUNICATION 


(The  National  Committee  for  Better  Films.) 
Some  time  ago,  literature  and  information  were 
sent  to  you  to  assist  you  in  the  Better  Films  Move- 
ment in  your  community.  We  are  interested  to 
learn  more  about  your  progress  and  also  to  offer 
very  definite  assistance  to  you  in  obtaining  selected 
pictures.  This  applies  to  churches,  schools,  librar- 
ies, clubs,  theatres,  etc. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  give  you  information 
as  to  the  places  where  various  kinds  of  films  may 
be  obtained,  such  as  scenic,  travel,  nature,  literary, 
historic,  agricultural,  industrial  and  government,  as 
well  as  dramatic  and  humorous  subjects. 

Heretofore,  the  greatest  difficult)'  in  the  use  of 
motion  pictures,  outside  of  the  theatres,  has  been 
the  reluctance  of  film  distributing  companies  to  rent 
them  for  regular  or  occasional  use.  We  have  now- 
perfected  arrangements  under  which  these  same 
companies  will  seek  your  business,  it"  you  tell  US  you 


260    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

wish  them  to  come  to  you  with  prices  on  selected 
lists. 

This  Social  Service  Department  of  the  National 
Board  has  been  formed  to  supplement  the  service 
of  listing  selected  films.  It  is  prepared  to  make 
definite  business  connections  between  you,  who  de- 
sire better  films,  and  the  film  distributing  companies 
which  are  able  to  furnish  them.  Kindly  write  us  if 
you  desire  such  service. 

The  enclosed  folder  explains  a  splendid  method 
of  using  motion  pictures  for  community  betterment. 
It  has  been  well  tested  and,  with  businesslike  ability 
in  selection,  the  exhibition  of  films  can  be  made  a 
thoroughgoing  financial  success. 

ORRIN  G.  COCKS,  Sec'y. 


Make  the  Movies 
Pay  for 


Boys'  Clubs. 
f  Care  of  Babies. 
Community  Houses. 
District   Nursing. 
Pure  Milk. 
Missions. 


SOCIAL  WORKERS,  let's  be  real  daring! 
Let's  go  into  business !  Let's  finance  our 
welfare  work  and  abandon  in  part  the  old 
heart-breaking  plan  of  private  solicitation !  Let's 
let  all  the  people  help  in  paying  for  the  needy! 
"Fine,"  you  say,  "but  how  will  you  do  it?"  My  so- 
lution is  simple.  Regular  motion  picture  entertain- 
ments  daily,   semi-weekly,   or   weekly,   high-grade, 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  261 

thoroughly  entertaining  and  wholesome,  with  the 
understanding  spread  broadcast  through  the  town 
that  all  the  profits  will  go  for  some  charity.  How  can 
that  combination  help  interesting  the  typical  Amer- 
ican? The  returns  from  a  bright,  first-class  enter- 
tainment of  selected  pictures  will  bring  enough  to 
keep  any  ordinary  organization  in  funds.  Think 
of  the  wealth  of  material,  the  special  benefits  which 
can  be  held,  the  local  talent  which  can  be  drawn 
in,  and  then  take  off"  your  coat  and  go  to  work. 

Here  is  a  church  in  the  country  town  that  wants 
funds  for  a  new  bible,  pulpit,  furniture,  new  seal-. 
funds  for  a  new  roof,  fresh  paint  and  an  increase  in 
the  minister's  pay,  hymn  books,  coal  or  a  Sunday 
School  visitor.  You  know  how  hard  the  money 
comes  by  social  suppers,  socials,  contributions  or 
house  to  house  begging.  All  the  while  the  Sunday 
School  room  is  idle  during  the  week  and  the  town 
hall  is  used  so  seldom  that  the  air  becomes  musty. 
All  the  while  the  townspeople  are  spending  money 
for  some  form  of  entertainment.  There  is  no  mo- 
tion picture  entertainment  in  the  town  to  draw  to- 
gether the  people,  even  on  Saturday  nights.  Some 
of  them  drive  fifteen  miles  in  their  autos  to  find 
the  pleasure  they  crave,  in  the  nearest  large  town. 
Why  not  use  regularly  some  hall  which  will  accom- 
modate the  townspeople  and  the  farmers  near  by, 
and  let  them  enjoy  a  thoroughly  pleasant  evening 
while  they  pay  for  the  church  upholstery,  and  the 
bell? 

Here  is  a  town  needing  a  boys'  club  the  worst 
way.  The  people  simply  will  not  give  for  it  although 


262    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

it  means  pleasure  and  profit  for  their  own  young- 
sters. Why  not  adapt  the  story  in  the  Saturday 
Evening  Post  for  January  25,  1919,  and  run  a  mo- 
tion picture  entertainment  which  will  furnish  the 
necessary  income  from  the  pockets  of  the  willing 
people  of  the  town?  If  a  minister  can  raise  $5,000 
a  year  for  a  boys'  club  by  running  a  grocery  store, 
surely  others  can  do  it  by  furnishing  high-grade 
entertainment. 

But  some  of  you  say,  "But  the  commercial  ex- 
hibitors in  our  town  have  captured  the  field !"  I 
am  not  so  sure  of  that.  They  may  have  drawn  part 
of  the  people,  but  there  is  room  for  one  more,  es- 
pecially if  it  gives  as  good  a  show  and  you  let  it  be 
known  that  all  the  profits  are  going  into  a  town  hos- 
pital, visiting  nurses,  tuberculosis  work  or  the  Boy 
Scouts. 

Let  me  tell  you  something !  The  Kips  Bay  As- 
sociation on  the  East  Side  of  New  York  is  partly 
financed  by  a  motion  picture  show.  The  Y.  M.  C. 
A.  in  Coatesville,  Pa.,  is  not  complaining  about  the 
income  derived  from  their  regular  motion  picture 
house.  Each  summer  at  Mt.  Tabor,  N.  J.,  Mrs.  W. 
C.  Cudlipp  and  her  Playground  Committee  have 
entertained  a  Methodist  group,  and  have  raised  suf- 
ficient funds  for  the  maintenance  of  the  playground 
of  the  Association.  Don't  you  know  that  a  large 
part  of  the  expenses  of  many  of  the  city  Y.  M.  C. 
A,s  are  met  by  the  rental  of  rooms  and  the  service 
of  meals,  like  a  wise  and  up-to-date  boarding-house 
keeper?     If  they  can  reduce  the  amount  requested 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  263 

of  the  public  in  this  way,  why  can't  you  with  motion 
pictures? 

Then  there  are  the  people  who  have  co-operated 
with  the  regular  exhibitor  leaving  him  the  field  for 
most  of  the  year,  for  his  own  profits.  They  have 
raised  the  money  they  need  by  special  benefits.  The 
Committee  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  showing  pictures 
regularly  for  young  people  on  Saturday  mornings 
in  the  Strand  Theatre  has  helped  the  Exhibitor  draw 
crowds  each  week,  but  they  have  no  understanding 
that  on  the  fifth  week  the  money  will  come  to  them. 
One  benefit  raised  $1,800  for  a  Red  Cross  Canteen! 
The  Rialto  in  New  York  City  has  aided  the  Sea 
Side  Hospital  for  Crippled  Children  two  years  with 
special  performances.  The  Association  evidently 
regards  the  plan  as  a  good  one.  Two  benefits  were 
given  in  Buffalo  at  Christmas  time  and  the  funds 
from  one  went  to  the  orphans  in  France.  A  church 
in  Colorado  raised  more  than  enough  to  put  a  new 
roof  on  its  building  by  working  out  a  plan  with  the 
,nearby  motion  picture  exhibitor  to  increase  his 
theatre  patronage.  In  New  Haven,  Conn.,  the  mo- 
tion picture  men  agreed,  during  the  war,  to  contrib- 
te  to  the  Mayor,  funds  which  were  made  up  of  their 
net  profits  from  Sunday  night  performances.  Mayor 
Fitzgerald  announced  recently  that  nearly  S20.000 
had  been  divided  by  him  amoner  The  Girls'  Patriotic 
League,  Red  Cross  Civilian  Relief,  Babies'  Welfare, 
Civic  Federation  and  about  fifteen  other  philan- 
thropic war  agencies.  You  see  that  money  can  be 
made,  even  with   local  benefit  shows. 

Please  tell  me  why  the  Chautauqua,   Redpath 


264     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Agents,  Concert  Tours,  and  Lecture  Courses  should 
come  into  town  and  organize  courses  and  programs 
and  MAKE  MONEY  and  then  take  that  money 
away  from  the  town?  It  is  perfectly  plain  that  a 
committee  of  the  whole  town  could  obtain  a  splen- 
did and  highly  patronized  entertainment  for  the 
town's  own  benefit  and  keep  the  money  in  the  town 
for  the  public  welfare.  Surely,  the  organizing  abili- 
ty is  not  lacking  in  our  smaller  communities !  It 
would  even  pay  to  hire  a  regular  motion  picture  man 
to  be  on  the  job  all  the  while  and  to  allow  him  to 
book  selected  pictures  and  advertise  them  in  a  busi- 
ness-like way. 

Are  you  interested  in  seeing  selected  high-grade 
pictures  used  in  your  community,  which  entertain 
all  members  of  the  family?  Do  you  want  to  see  the 
moving  picture  as  a  social  agency  used  for  social 
purposes  and  accomplishing  social  results  before 
your  eyes?  Do  you  wish  practical  help  to  bring 
picture  entertainments  to  people,  which  aid  at  the 
same  time  to  pay  for  good  things?  While  we  rent 
no  pictures,  we  can  tell  you  of  the  best,  where  to 
get  them,  approximately  what  they  will  cost,  how 
to  draw  audiences,  how  to  combine  other  pleasures 
with  the  movies,  how  to  take  movie  trips  to  the 
garden  spots  of  the  world,  how  to  have  literary, 
scientific  or  nature  evenings ;  how,  in  a  word,  to 
make  your  town  move  for  itself  with  the  movies ! 

Issued  by 

The  National   Committee  for  better  Films 

Social    Service   Department   of 

The  National  Board  of  Review  of  Motion  Pictures, 

Educational  Building 
Fifth  Avenue  and  Thirteenth  Street,  New  York  City. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  265 

EXHIBIT  XV 
TESTIMONY  OF  JUVENILE  COURT 

OFFICIALS. 


GIRLS'  WOES  ARE  LAID  TO  MOVIES, 

BAD  MEN. 

Girls  go  wrong  because  they  are  movie  mad 
and  are  allowed  to  associate  with  questionable 
young  men,  Mrs.  H.  E.  Simons  of  the  domestic 
relations   court   in  Toledo,  thinks. 

She  expressed  this  opinion  Monday  morning 
at  an  address  before  St.  Mark's  Guild. 

The  remedy,  Mrs.  Simons  said,  is  a  closer  re- 
lation between  the  girls  and  their  parents. 

"Parents  are  too  careless  about  the  men  their 
daughters  go  with,"  Mrs.  Simons  said.  "By  being 
more  careful  in  this  particular  mothers  can  save 
many  girls  from  shame." 


STOP  YOUTHS  UNDER  17  AT  SHOW  DOORS. 


This  Is  Provision  of  Proposed  Ordinance  Now  Be- 
fore Council,  Sponsored  by  Juvenile  Court  Judge. 


ITS  MORALS  MEASURE 


Draft  Has  Been  Referred  to  Committee  for  Further 
Consideration  at  Meeting  Tomorrow  Evening. 

Children    under    17  years    of   age   will   be   pro- 
hibited  from    visiting   picture   shows,   dance   halls, 


266    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

theatres  and  other  public  places,  if  an  ordinance  in- 
troduced in  council  last  night  at  the  request  of 
Judge  O'Brien  O'Donnell,  of  probate  court,  be- 
comes a  law. 

Protection  of  morals  of  young  girls  whom  juve- 
nile officers  have  found  to  be  meeting  men  older 
than  themselves  is  intended  by  the  measure,  Judge 
O'Donnell  says : 

Ought  to  Be  Welcome. 

"If  the  public  were  acquainted  with  some  of  the 
cases  that  have  come  to  the  attention  of  my  court," 
said  Judge  O'Donnell,  "this  ordinance  will  be  wel- 
comed. 

"Conditions  are  deplorable  and  the  only  means 
we  have  of  preventing  young  girls  from  going 
astray  is  to  keep  them  away  from  places  where  they 
can  meet  older  men  clandestinely. 

"There  is  no  objection  on  any  one's  part  for  a 
child  under  17  years  to  accompany  its  parent,  guard- 
ian or  adult  member  of  its  family  to  a  place  of 
amusement.  But  they  should  not  be  permitted  to 
go  out  alone  and  especially  at  night." 

The  proposed  ordinance  amends  a  section  of 
general  ordinance  passed  July  3,  1917. 

Provisions  of  Measure. 

It  has  been  referred  to  the  committee  of  rules 
and  by-laws  for  consideration  tomorrow  night. 

The  measure  as  drafted  by  Alonzo  Deur,  assist- 
ant director  of  law,  makes  it  unlawful  for  any  pro- 
prietor, manager  or  employe  of  a  dance  hall,  concert 
room,  saloon,  theatre,  moving  picture  show  or  any 


\ 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  267 

place  where  moving  pictures  are  shown,  transient 
museum,  penny  arcade  or  skating  rink  within  the 
limits  of  Toledo  to  permit  any  child  under  17  years 
of  age  to  enter,  remain  or  be  in  such  places  unless 
accompanied  by  a  parent,  guardian,  teacher  or  other 
adult  member  of  a  family. 

Violation  of  the  ordinance  provides  for  a  fine 
not  less  than  $25  nor  more  than  $100  or  not  more 
than    three  months'  imprisonment. 

Toledo  Times,  Mar.  25,   1919. 


DARK     MOVIE     HOUSES     A     MENACE     TO 

MORALS  OF  YOUNG,  COURT 

OFFICER  SAYS. 


"Immorality  among  young  boys  and  girls  in 
Toledo  can  almost  always  be  traced  to  the  dark- 
movie  house.  And  it  is  getting  worse."  said  Miss 
Sara  Kaufmann,  Juvenile  Court  Officer,  on  Thurs- 
day, as  she  took  three  young  girls,  with  hair  .'own 
their  backs,  out  of  a  picture  show. 

"Girls  whose  mothers  pay  no  attention  to  their 
whereabouts  go  alone  into  the  dark  house.  Boys  go 
in  and  sit  beside  them  in  the  darkness.  They  come 
out  together. 

"I  don't  know  what  can  be  done,"  Miss  Kauf- 
mann said.  "I  only  know  that  five  pitiful  cases  this 
week  can  be  traced  to  a  moving  picture  house." — 
News-Bee,  March  21,   1919. 


268     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

HOME   LIFE  URGED   BY  JUDGE  TO  TAKE 
PLACE  OF  MOVIES. 


O'Donnell  Explains  How  Life  Can  Be  Made  Liv- 
able for  Persons  Under  17  Without  Letting  'Em 
Go  to  Shows   Unattended — What 
Exhibitors  Say. 


"It's  certain  there  will  never  be  enough  chaper- 
ons for  all  Toledoans  under  17  years  old,  and  these 
cannot  go  to  public  places  unattended,  what  would 
you  substitute?" 

The  question  was  propounded  Wednesday  to 
Judge  O'Brien.  O'Donnell  in  connection  with  his 
appeal  to  the  city  council  that  youths  and  girls  less 
than  17  years  old  be  forbidden  to  attend  public 
places  unless  accompanied  by  chaperons. 

The  judge  replied  bluntly  and  somewhat  reflec- 
tively, "Home  life." 

"Yes,  sir,  home  life,  more  of  it  and  the  right 
sort,  will  fill  the  bill,"  continued  the  judge. 

Judge  O'Donnell  ascribes  the  downfall  of  many 
wayward  girls  to  the  freedom  with  which  they  are 
allowed  to  attend  dances  and  motion  picture  the- 
atres without  chaperons. 

Home  Life  Remedy. 

"If  parents  would  make  home  life  more  attrac- 
tive for  their  children  these  conditions  would  not 
exist,"  the  judge  continued.  "When  there  is  noth- 
ing for  the  girl  to  do  in  the  evening  the  parents 
even  suggest  that  she  visit  the  movies,  which,  of 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  269 

course,  is  a  substitute  for  home  life." 

The  proposed  measure  bars  proprietors  of 
theatres,  dance  halls,  concert  rooms,  saloons,  penny 
arcades  and  skating  rinks  from  admitting  persons 
under  17  to  these  places  at  night,  unless  they  are 
accompanied  by  a  chaperon.  The  measure  carries  a 
fine  of  $25  to  $100  and  imprisonment  for  three 
months,  or  both. 

Measure  Protested. 

A  vigorous  protest  against  the  measure  is  to 
be  lodged  at  the  council  meeting  Wednesday  night 
by  the  Theatrical  Managers'  association. 

Although  expressing  himself  in  sympathy  with 
the  movement  to  correct  juvenile  delinquency, 
Joseph  Pearlstein,  president  of  the  association,  and 
manager  of  Keith's  theatre,  doubted  whether  the 
proposed  measure  would  have  its  desired  effect. 

H.  C.  Horater,  manager  of  the  Alhambra,  also 
believes  the  proposed  ordinance  would  not  accom- 
plish the  results  desired. 

Young  people  must  have  some  place  to  go," 
Mr.  Horater  said.  "They  are  better  off  in  a  re- 
spectable theatre  than  other  places  I  know  of.  To- 
ledo houses  are  exceptionally  well  lighted  in  com- 
parison with  those  of  other  cities  and,  from  per- 
sonal observation.  I  can  say  there  has  been  nothing 
objectionable  in  the  conduct  of  young  people  in 
my  theatre."— Blade,  March  26.  1919. 


"17"  ORDINANCE  NOW  IN  EFFECT. 

It  developed  on  Wednesday  that  the  proposed 


270     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

ordinance  to  prohibit  children  under  17  from  en- 
tering theaters,  saloons,  etc.,  unless  properly  chap- 
eroned, has  in  fact  been  a  city  ordinance  for  12 
years,  except  in  one  item. 

Proponents  of  the  measure,  Juvenile  Court  offi- 
cials, now  want  to  amend  the  ordinance  to  make  it 
apply  to  "moving  picture  houses."  Otherwise  the 
ordinance  proposed  is  almost  identical  with  a  law 
now  in  existence. 

It  appears  that  the  word  "theater"  tested  in 
the  courts  does  not  mean  moving  picture  theater, 
hence  the  desire  to  include  the  screen  houses. — 
News-Bee,  March  26,  1919. 


WHERE  IS  YOUR  CHILD? 

AS  a  substitute  for  chaperones  to  look  after  young 
girls,  Judge  O'Donnell  advises  "home  life  of 
the  right  sort  and  plenty  of  it."  The  judge 
never  spoke  a  truer  word.  If  the  fathers  and  moth- 
ers of  Toledo  do  their  duty  by  their  offspring  during 
the  adolescent  period  there  will  be  little  need  of 
discussing  chaperones  or  of  devising  measures  to 
waywardness.  But  it  appears  to  be  the  custom 
nowadays  for  the  parents  to  go  their  several  ways 
and  trust  to  providence  that  their  boys  and  girls 
will  keep  in  the  straight  and  narrow  path.  Then 
when  the  truth  is  forced  upon  them,  they  deny 
culpability. 

Several  years  ago  the  small  son  of  a  Toledo 
mother,  left  to  his  own  diversion,  fell  out  of  a  neigh- 
boring cherry  tree  and  broke  an  arm.  His  play- 
mates  took  him    home   and  left  him   on   the   front 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  271 

porch  when  they  found  the  house  locked.  The 
mother  was  enjoying  an  afternoon  of  bridge.  The 
boy  bearing  bravely  the  pain  of  an  unset  arm 
fainted  when  she  gathered  him  to  her  breast,  and 
the  physician  who  was  hastily  summoned  revealed 
the  real  situation. 

The  other  day  the  writer,  walking  into  a  drug 
store,  saw  a  child  standing  close  to  a  pile  of  maga- 
zines. As  the  youngster  was  alone  and  appeared 
distressed,  he  made  inquiries  of  the  clerk  who  in- 
formed him  that  the  child's  home  was  nearby  :  that 
the  mother,  desiring  to  make  a  call  and  to  be  re- 
lieved of  the  bother  the  child  might  cause,  had 
brought  it  to  the  drug  store  for  safe  keeping.  We 
are  forced  to  admit  that  this  course  was  more  hu- 
man than  to  lock  the  little  one  in  the  house,  but 
what  more  important  business  can  a  woman  have 
than  the  taking  care  of  her  babies? 

These  are  not  exceptional  cases.  Similar  ones 
are  occurring  every  day.  Fathers  are  ignorant  of 
their  boys'  whereabouts  and  mothers  are  indiffer- 
ent to  their  girls'  behavior.  If  the  good  people  of 
Toledo  have  any  doubts  on  the  subject,  let  them 
stand  on  prominent  street  corners  night  or  day  and 
judge  for  themselves.  If  they  don't  get  the  shock 
of  their  lives,  then  indeed  they  are  past  hope. 

The  biggest  work  for  the  Christian  church  to- 
day all  over  this  country,  for  Toledo  is  no  worse 
than  other  cities,  is  to  lead  fathers  and  mothers 
back  to  their  proper  spheres  in  the  homes — The 
Times,  March  28,  1919. 


272    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

NOT  ENOUGH  GUN  FIRE  IN  TOLEDO  MOV- 
IES SO  LADS  WALK  TO  DETROIT. 


Hyman  and  Phillip  Goodman  Like  Experience  as 
Far  As  Detention  Home. 


(Special   Times    Telegram). 

Detroit,  Mich.,  April  17. — Hyman  and  Phillip 
Goodman,  10  and  7  years  old,  respectively,  were 
surfeited  with  movies  of  excellent  quality  but  insuf- 
ficient blood  and  Indians,  which  they  had  seen  in 
Toledo. 

Leaving  their  home  at  536  East  Woodruff  ave- 
nue, Toledo,  Thursday  morning,  they  decided  to 
investigate  the  possibilities  of  more  suitable  amuse- 
ment in  Detroit,  which  they  had  heard  from  chums 
was  a  place  in  which  the  movie  redskins  died  by 
the  scores  in  every  reel  amid  gratifying  gun  fire  and 
flourish  of  six-shooter. 

Having  but  10  cents,  the  boys  thought  best  to 
walk  to  Detroit  and  save  the  money  for  movie  ex- 
penses. They  had  progressed  within  a  few  miles  of 
Detroit  when  a  citizen  in  an  automobile  gave  them 
a  ride  to  the  police  station. 

Phillip  had  worn  the  soles  of  his  shoes  out  and 
his  bare  feet  protruded  thru   a  pair  of  torn  stock- 


ings. 


Tired  and  hungry,  but  happy,  the  boys  were 
given  supper  and  put  to  bed  at  the  juvenile  detention 
home.  Their  father,  David  Goodman,  a  baker  at 
1952  Canton  street,  was  notified. — The  Times — 
April  18,  1919. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  273 

PROTEST    INCREASED    THEATRE 
TICKET  TAX. 


Theatre  managers  in  Toledo  arc  forming  pro- 
tests against  the  proposed  new  20  per  cent  war  tax 
on  amusement  tickets  costing  30  cents  or  more. 

Joseph  Pearlstein,  manager  of  Keith's  circulated 
petitions  Saturday  and  Sunday  among  his  patrons, 
asking  that  the  tax  be  not  raised  from  10  to  20  per 
cent.  He  says  1,200  signed  Sunday  and  slightly 
fewer  than  that  on  Saturday. 

Harry  Winter,  manager  of  the  Empire,  wired 
his  protest  to  Washington.  Theatre  managers  here 
leel  that  the  added  burden  will  have  a  serious  affect 
on  attendance.  Managers  of  moving  picture  theatres 
have  not  taken  up  the  matter,  as  all  charge  less 
than  30  cents  admission,  excepting  for  special  at- 
tractions.—The  Blade,  Jan.  20,   1919. 


"LET   CHILDREN     SEE    MOVIES.''   WAIT- 
RESSES' UNION  SAYS. 


The  Waitresses'  union  is  on  record  as  opposed 
to  an  ordinance  now  before  city  council  prohibiting 
boys  and  girls  under  17  years  to  patronize  moving 
picture  shows  and  dances  without  the  company  of 
an  adult.  Judge  O'Donncll  of  the  juvenile  court  is 
father  of  the  proposed  legislation. 

Miss  Nina  Pangle,  business  agent  of  the  Wait- 
resses' union,  reported  at  the  meeting  of  the  Cen- 


274    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

tral  Labor  union  Thursday  night  that  the  waitresses' 
organization  adopted  a  resolution  against  the  legis- 
lation. 

"We  decided  that,  even  if  the  morals  of  one  or 
two  young  girls  were  injured  by  these  places,  it 
is  a  greater  crime  to  rob  thousands  of  children  of 
the  pleasure  of  the  shows,"  she  declared. — The 
Blade,  April  4,  1919. 


FOR  CLEANER  BILLBOARDS. 


Editor  Toledo  Blade :  There  is  a  law  in  Ohio 
regulating  the  extent  of  vileness  to  which  theatres 
and  other  places  of  amusement  may  go  in  advertis- 
ing their  offerings.  A  few  years  ago  there  was  a 
great  splutter  about  suggestive  and  unclean  adver- 
tising by  theatres,  and  the  preachers  fairly  boiled 
with  indignation;  but  as  usual  they  cooled  down  to 
complete  inactivity  after  a  little  show  of  belliger- 
ency. Now  the  thing  has  gotten  as  bad  as  ever. 
The  moving  picture  houses  are  some  of  the  great- 
est offenders  in  this  matter.  The  titles  of  many  of 
these  film  plays  and  what  they  suggest  are  unfit 
for  children,  yet  they  are  on  public  view  on  our 
principal  streets.  I  don't  think  that  even  men  who 
can  see  nothing  worth  while  in  this  world  but  dol- 
lar should  lose  all  sense  of  shame.  If  they  do,  then  it 
is  high  time  for  the  authorities  to  step  in  and  pro- 
tect the  public— PLAIN  CITIZEN.— The  Blade, 
May  29,  1919. 


AMUSEMENT  IX  TOLEDO,  OHIO  2?i 

THEATERS    BLOCK    AGE    ORDINANCE. 


Managers   Secure   Promise  of  Council   Not   to   Act 

Hastily  on  Measure. 


WHICH  IS  DECLARED  INADEQUATE 


Attorney    Says    Men   Responsible   for    Delinquincy 

Ones  to  Be  Punished. 


Members  of  the  Theatrical  Managers'  associa- 
tion have  won  the  first  round  of  their  fight  against 
a  proposed  city  ordinance  barring  children  under 
17  years  of  age  from  places  of  public  amusements, 
particularly  motion  picture  shows. 

Following  airing  of  the  theatrical  men's  opposi- 
tion to  the  measure,  a  council  committee  last  night 
appointed  a  special  sub-committee  of  three  men  to 
investigate  juvenile  delinquency  and  draw  up  a  more 
drastic  ordinance  than  one  that  merely  prohibits 
children  from  entering  picture  shows. 

Attorney  Charles  F.  Friedman,  a  stockholder 
in  the  Valentine  Theatre  Co.,  speaking  in  behalf  of 
the  theatrical  men,  declared  the  proposed  ordinance, 
sponsored  by  Probate  Judge  O'Brien  O'Donnell,  is 
an  unjust  reflection  on  the  rights  and  privileges  of 
clean-minded  children.  He  declared  it  was  not  the 
right  step  toward  solution  of  the  delinquency  prob- 
lem. 

"The  only  way  to  remedy  this  crying  evil  is  to 
get  the  men  who  are  responsible  for  it,"  he  declared. 
'This  prohibiting  of  children  the  right  to  enjoy  a 


276    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

clean,  wholesome  picture  or  an  educational  film  is 
an  unjust  reflection  on  them.  In  fact,  aside  from 
the  newspapers,  the  moving  pictures  did  more  than 
any  other  thing  to  educate  the  people  in  loyalty 
and  patriotism  during  wTar." 

Mr.  Friedman  said  that  the  proposed  ordinance, 
if  it  becomes  a  law,  would  practically  ruin  all  the 
motion   picture   theatres   in   the   outlying   districts. 

"Most  of  the  patrons  of  these  theatres  are  chil- 
dren," he  said.  "The  downtown  theatres  do  not  get 
many  young  people  unless  they  are  accompanied  by 
their  parents." 

He  said  public  sentiment  does  not  stand  back 
of  any  such  law.  He  cited  illustration  of  the  non- 
enforcement  of  an  existing  city  ordinance  that  pro- 
hibits children  from  attending  theatres. 

He  also  declared  that  it  is  practically  impos- 
sible for  a  man  to  meet  a  girl  in  a  motion  picture 
theatre.  In  those  places,  he  said,  patrons  are  shown 
to  their  seats  by  an  usher.  They  do  not  have  the 
reserved  seat  arrangement  where  a  man  might  pur- 
chase a  ticket  for  a  girl  and  meet  her  in  the  place, 
he  said. 

"If  any  age  limits  are  to  be  set  they  ought  to 
be  between  the  years  of  17  and  25,"  Friedman  as- 
serted. "There  are  very  few  children  between  12 
and  17  years  wTho  are  inclined  to  immorality.  Most 
of  the  children  at  that  age  are  clean  and  pure  mind- 
ed. 

"Even,  if  the  ordinance  is  passed,  the  men  who 
entice  girls  in  the  picture  shows  will  do  so  on  the 
street  or   elsewhere.     They  will   not   stop  and,   as 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  27? 

most  of  them  are  more  than  17  years  of  age,  the 
proposed  ordinance  would  not  touch  them." 

Friedman,  who  is  the  father  of  two  children,  de- 
clared the  "city  might  as  well  think  of  prohibiting 
children  from  visiting  the  parks  as  from  attending 
the  picture  shows." 

He  said  the  proposed  ordinance  is  a  useless 
piece  of  legislation  and  that  it  is  an  ancient  way  of 
trying  to  cure  an  evil  by  making  children  stay  at 

home. 

More  than  20  motion  picture  theatre  proprietors 
were  on  hand  to  protest  against  the  ordinance. 

Councilman  Duffey  said  that  it  would  not  receive 
hasty  action. 

Judge  O'Donnell,  in  speaking  of  the  proposed 
ordinance,  said  he  had  no  personal  feeling  in  the 
matter  but  that,  as  he  is  a  public  servant,  he  pre- 
sented to  the  council  for  its  consideration,  things 
as  he  found  them.  He  related  several  incidents 
of  young  girls  who  met  "men"  in  picture  theatres, 
to  their  sorrow. 

Judge  O'Donnell  said  that  he  would  leave  the 
matter  in  the  hands  of  council  and  would  do  all  in 
his  power  to  aid  in  remedying  any  existing  delin- 
quency evil. — The  Times.  March  27,  1919. 


FILM  SITUATION  IN  UNITED  KINGDOM. 


(Special  to   The  Christian  Science  Monitor.) 
London,  England.— Mr.   A.    E.   Newbould  pre- 
sided at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Cinematograph 


278    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

Exhibitors  Association.  The  report  stated  that 
until  the  trade  had  secured  something  like  a  charter 
of  its  right  from  Parliament  it  remained  a  prey  to 
every  crank  and  faddist  in  respect  of  nearly  every 
aspect  of  its  business.  The  position  of  serfdom 
in  which  the  proprietor  of  a  cinema  was  placed  by 
the  Cinematograph  Act  was  a  permanent  menace 
to  capital.  It  was  intended  to  move  for  such  an 
amendment  to  the  act  as  would  secure  immunity 
from  the  haphazard  demands  of  local  licensing 
bodies  by  providing  universal  conditions,  which 
would  be  of  a  practical  character  and  make  the 
tyrannical  action  of  licensing  bodies  impossible. 

Mr.  Newbould  said  that  both  at  the  front  and 
at  home  the  cinema  had  played  an  important  part 
in  the  war.  In  France  alone,  he  said,  about  200 
cinemas  had  been  supplied  with  films,  largely  at 
nominal  cost,  which  had  been  a  great  boon  to  the 
men  in  the  forces.  The  association's  contention 
that  concessions  with  regard  to  the  entertainment 
tax  would  cost  the  revenue  nothing  had  been  justi- 
fied, and  there  was  ground  for  saying  the  revenue 
had  actually  increased.  They  might  therefore,  pro- 
pose to  the  Chancellor  that  if  he  would  make  fur- 
ther concessions  they  would  still  further  increase 
his  revenue. 

Regret  was  expressed  that  Mr.  Newbould  was 
unsuccessful  at  the  general  election,  but  the  associa- 
tion was  congratulated  on  the  fact  that  Mr.  J.  A. 
Seddon,  M.P.,  will  watch  its  interests  in  the  House. 

Mr.  E.  J.  Brown  (London)  declared  that  if 
something  definite  were  not  done,  their  fraternity 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  279 

was  in  danger  of  being  included  in  a  conglomera- 
tion of  trades  to  make  up  an  industrial  council.  It 
was  mentioned  that  in  the  United  Kingdom  there 
are  over  4000  cinemas. — Christian  Monitor,  Jan. 
1919. 


Of  interest  at  the  present  time,  while  the  ques- 
tion of  barring  children  under  17  from  theaters  is 
under  consideration  in  Toledo,  is  the  announcement 
of  the  passage  of  a  special  measure  in  Quebec,  pro- 
viding for  a  classification  by  the  censors  in  Quebec 
of  all  pictures  suitable  for  children,  and  allowing 
exhibitors  to  admit  children  without  guardian  or 
parents  to  theatres  where  the  pictures  are  being 
showm. 

The  measure,  sponsored  by  Hon.  Walter  Mit- 
chell, provincial  secretary  of  Quebec,  was  intro- 
duced in  place  of  a  promised  bill  providing  for  the 
exclusion  of  children  from  all  picture  shows.  Such 
a  move  had  been  contemplated  at  the  request  of  the 
moral  reformers,  but  was  abandoned  in  favor  of  the 
more  broad  minded  policy. 

The  measure  paves  the  way  for  special  chil- 
dren's shows.  Programs  for  children's  performances 
will  be  announced,  and  exhibitors  who  present  other 
than  children's  pictures  at  these  performances  will 
be  penalized. 

Considerable  leeway  is  promised  in  the  selec- 
tion of  subjects  for  these  shows.  It  is  understood 
that   educationals,   scenics,   comedies,  patriotic   pic- 


280     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

tures,   topical   weeklies   as   well  as   certain    dramas 
will  be  passed  for  presentation  at  these  shows. 

Mitchell  explained  in  the  house  that  it  was  re- 
cognized that  there  was  much  of  an  educational  na- 
ture for  children  in  moving  pictures. — The  Times, 
March  27.   1919. 


SAYS  SALOONS'  FATE  THREATENS 

MOVIES. 


Chicago,  Jan.  18. —  Warning  that  movie  pic- 
ture houses  may  find  the  same  fate  as  saloons,  Tim- 
othy D.  Hurley,  chairman  of  the  City  Censorship 
Commission,  urges  film  manufacturers  to  "show 
more  inclination  to  co-operate  with  the  regulations." 

"Saloons  would  not  submit  to  regulation,"  said 
Hurley.  "Now  look  at  'em." — News-Bee,  January 
18,  1919. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  281 


EVENING  RECREATION. 


DO  YOU  KNOW  THAT   EACH  WEEK 

IN  TOLEDO 


75,000  persons  under  20  years  attend  public 
picture  shows,  vaudeville  and  burlesque? 

40,000  persons  under  20  years  visit  public  pool 
halls  and  bowling  alleys? 

20,000  persons  under  20  years  visit  public  and 
so-called  "private"  dances  where  the  public 
is  invited  and  where  there  is  no  supervision? 

20,000  children  under  18  years  work  to  support 
themselves  or  family,  and  that  as  a  relief 
from  the  dull  and  prosaic,  the  greater  num- 
ber are  drawn  into  cheap  commercialized 
amusement  centers? 

Less  than  5,000  children  under  18  years  gather 
in  our  churches  for  evening  recreation,  and 
that  we  have  no  Neighborhood  Recreation 
Centers  or  provision  for  Home  Recreation? 


Numbers  for  attendance  may  not  represent 
different  individuals.  Often  the  same  person 
patronizes  all  the  forms  of  amusement  and 
attends  more   than   once  a  week. 


282    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  XVI 

WOULD   RECONSTRUCT  THE  "MOVIE" 

WORLD. 


United  Artists'   Corporation   Outlines   Methods   to 

Be  Adopted. 


MORAL  TONE  OF  FILMS  TO  BE  PRIME 

FEATURE. 


System  of  Distribution  Scheduled  for  Complete 

Change. 


(By   Frederick  J.  Haskins.) 

New  York. — "Morality,  Method  and  More 
Money"  might  well  be  the  legend  inscribed  on  the 
letterhead  of  the  new  United  Artists'  Corporation, 
which  has  attracted  so  much  attention  by  obtain- 
ing the  services  of  Wiliam  Gibbs  McAdoo  as  chief 
counsel,  and  the  formation  of  which  has  caused  so 
much  discussion  of  conditions,  business  and  artis- 
tic, in  the  great  moving  picture  industry. 

As  explained  in  a  former  article,  Mr.  McAdoo 
has  been  retained  by  this  new  corporation  in  a 
merely  advisory  capacity,  and  chiefly  for  the  sake 
of  the  confidence  which  his  name  will  inspire  in  the 
public,  and  possibly  in  Wall  Street.  The  executive 
head  of  the  Pickford-Chaplin-Grimth-Fairbanks  en- 
terprise is  Mr.  Oscar  A.  Price.  He  is  to  be  the 
leader  in  putting  into  effect  the  large  plans  of  the 
"United  Artists." 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  283 

Mr.  Price  is  an  executive  of  varied  experience. 
He  used  to  run  a  weekly  paper,  a  saw-mill  and 
several  other  businesses  in  West  Virginia,  his  na- 
tive state.  Later  he  came  to  Washington  and  was 
auditor  of  the  interior  department.  Then  Mr.  Mc- 
Adoo  discovered  him,  set  him  the  difficult  task  of 
straightening  out  the  fiscal  affairs  of  the  bureau 
of  engraving  and  printing,  made  him  publicity  di- 
rector of  the  first  and  second  Liberty  Loans,  and 
finally  appointed  him  assistant  director  of  rail- 
roads. It  was  natural  that  Mr.  Price  should  fol- 
low his  chief  out  of  the  government  and  into  the 
movies,  as  president  of  the  United  Artists'  Cor- 
poration. 

Although  he  has  not  yet  studied  his  new  job 
in  detail,  Mr.  Price  has  clear  ideas  as  to  what  he 
is  going  to  do  for  the  movies.  For  one  thing,  he 
is  going  to  make  them  "moral."  He  is  against  all 
pictures  that  could  possibly  be  considered  sugges- 
tive, or  unfit  in  any  way  for  the  American  family 
trade. 

Mr.  Price  also  believes  that  the  motion  picture 
industry  has  given  too  much  time  and  attention 
to  drama  and  not  enough  to  education  and  news 
features.  A  publicity  man  and  publisher  himself, 
he  is  especially  impressed  by  the  great  possibili- 
ties that  are  in  the  news-pictorial.  lie  looks  for- 
ward to  the  day  when  the  public  will  see  in  pictures 
the  news  of  the  world  almost  as  fast  as  it  happens. 

But  the  United  Artists'  Corporation  has  not 
been  formed  primarily  for  the  purpose  of  moral 
and  artistic  reform.     Its  underlying  motive-  are  of 


284     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

a  business  and  financial  nature.  The  four  famous 
stars  who  have  formed  the  corporation  are  dissatis- 
fied with  the  way  their  pictures  are  being  distrib- 
uted, and  they  are  going  to  do  the  distributing 
themselves. 

The  Paramount-Artcraft  Company,  which  is 
the  biggest  single  organization  in  moviedom,  also 
produces  pictures,  but  it  is  largely  a  distributing 
concern.  According  to  Mr.  Price  the  newly  united 
stars  object  to  the  way  in  which  this  corporation  is 
handling  their  products,  chiefly  on  two  counts.  In 
the  first  place,  he  says,  pictures  are  released  to  the 
exhibitors,  not  singly,  but  in  groups.  Thus  the 
distributing  agent  will  pool  a  Pickford  picture  with 
four  or  five  other  pictures,  and  in  order  to  get  the 
Pickford  feature  the  exhibitor  has  to  buy  them  all. 
This,  according  to  Mr.  Price  and  his  associates,  is 
most  distasteful  to  the  exhibitor,  and  tends  to 
make  him  refuse  the  star  picture  because  he  does 
not  want  the  others. 

In  the  second  place,  according  to  Mr.  Price, 
the  Paramount-Artcraft  Corporation  plays  up  its 
own  name  at  the  expense  of  the  names  of  the  stars. 
Thus  this  corporation  has  recently  conducted  a 
great  national  magazine  advertising  campaign 
which  had  for  its  sole  object  to  establish  in  the 
minds  of  the  public  the  idea  that  Paramount-Art- 
craft pictures  are  superior,  but  which  seldom  are 
superior,  but  which  of  the  stars  which  have  given 
the  corporation  its  fame. 

Other  well-posted  persons  say  that  the  stars 
have  yet  another  objection  to  certain  methods  of 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  285 

distribution.  It  is  stated  that  one  of  the  great 
distributing  agencies  tried  to  make  all  of  the  ex- 
hibitors whom  it  serves  sign  a  three-year,  non-can- 
celable contract.  This  contract  would  have  bound 
the  exhibitor  to  show  in  his  theatre  lor  three  years 
whatever  the  distributing  corporation  chose  to  send 
him,  without  the  privilege  of  a  whimper.  The  ex- 
hibitors refused  to  sign  any  such  contract.  The 
failure  of  the  big  distributing  agency  to  put  across 
its  three-year  contract  plan  is  said  to  have  shaken 
the  confidence  of  the  stars.  They  feared  that  such 
highhanded  proposals  would  ultimately  turn  the 
exhibitors  against  big  distributors  and  all  their 
work— including  the  star  pictures. 

Thus  the  formation  of  the  United  Artists'  Cor- 
poration is  also  a  revolt  against  the  attempt  of  big 
distributors  to  make  the  exhibitor  accept  whatever 
he  chooses  to  offer.  It  is  a  bomb  placed  under  the 
throne  of  the  would-be  motion  picture  czar. 
Whether  it  will  blow  him  up  or  not  remains  to  be 
seen._The  Blade,  March  26,   1919. 

UNCLE  SAM  IS  MAKING  MOTION-PICTURES 

ON  A  HUGE  SCALE. 


Subjects  Include  All  Branches  of  Agriculture  and 
Industry    in    a    Nation-Wide    Educational 

Campaign. 
The   pig,   the   cow   and  the   potato  have   joined 
the  ranks  of  "movie  actors"  and  are  being   starred 
by  no  less  a  person  than  Uncle  Sam.  who  is  devel- 
oping motion   pictures  on   an  ever  increasing  edu- 


286     MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

cational  scale.  The  Department  of  Agriculture 
was  the  first  of  the  federal  departments  to  under- 
take the  production  of  such  pictures  as  a  regular 
activity.  Its  films,  reports  Frederic  J.  Haskin, 
Washington  correspondent  of  the  Los  Angeles 
Times,  represent  a  great  variety  of  subjects  and  all 
sections  of  the  country,  ranging  in  length  from  split 
reels  of  five  hundred  feet  or  less  to  an  eight-reel 
Story  of  Cotton.  Here  are  the  subjects  of  some  of 
the  government  thrillers : 

Grazing  Industry  on  the  National  Forests,  Na- 
tional Forests  as  Recreation  Grounds.  What  a 
Careless  Hunter  Can  Do.  The  Work  of  a  Forest 
Ranger,  Tree  Planting  on  the  National  Forests, 
Lumbering  Yellow  Pine  in  the  Southwest,  Lodge- 
pole  Pine  for  Railroad  Ties,  The  Work  of  the  For- 
est Products  Laboratory,  Lumbering  Lodgepole 
Pine,  Types  of  Horses  Seen  at  the  Washington 
Horse  Show,  Constructing  Concrete  and  Wrooden 
Hoop  Silos,  Government  Poultry  Farm,  Wool  from 
Sheep  to  Cloth,  Lambs  from  Range  to  Market,  Un- 
cle Sam's  Pig  Club  Work,  Co-operative  Berry 
Growing  in  the  Pacific  Northwest,  Testing  Rock 
to  Determine  its  Value  for  Road  Building,  Road 
Tests  with  Traction  Dynamometer,  Cement  and 
Concrete  Tests,  Gravel,  Macadam,  Concrete  and 
Bituminous  Macadam  Road  Construction,  Congres- 
sional Seed  Distribution,  The  Strawberry  Industry 
in  Kentucky,  Bridge  Grafting  on  Trees,  Dust  Ex- 
plosions, Preventing  Spread  of  the  Gipsy  and 
Brown-tail  Moths  and  Drying  Fruits  and  Vegeta- 
bles in  the  Home. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  287 

Among-   the    interesting   subjects    being    filmed 
for  use  in  the  winter  and  spring  campaigns  are  (dean 
milk   production,   meeting   farm   labor  problems   in 
the  eastern,  middle  and  far  western  states  ;  control 
of  hog  cholera,  staged  in  Iowa ;  control  of  animal 
parasites,    filmed    in    Texas    and    Washington  ;    the 
story   of    wheat    in    the    great   wheat   fields    of    the 
Pacific  northwest;  national  forests  as  national  play- 
grounds;   forest    fire    fighting;    logging    timber    for 
wooden    ships    and    their    construction    and    others 
already   completed.      Pictures    on    the    handling   of 
beef  cattle,  cordword  production  through  improved 
cuttings   in    farm   woodlands  and  pictures  of  prize 
dairy  cattle   raising  throughout  the  United  States 
are  now  in  process  of  filming.     The  plan  of  the  de- 
lta rtment  provides  for  an  output  of  about  1,000  feet 
of  negative,  or  one  reel  a  week,  during  the  next  six 
months.     The  department  has  its  force  of  camera 
men    and  a  wTell  equipped  laboratory  in  which,   in 
addition  to  its  own  work,  considerable  film  for  other 
government  agencies  has  been  made.    We  read  that 
the  demand  for  educational  films  is  always  greater 
than  the  supply.     In  the  system  of  distribution  the 
one  idea  has  been  to  reach  the  greatest  number  of 
people  who  can  profit  by  the  pictures.    To  this  end 
there    is   being   planned   a    new   system   of   distribu- 
tion  whereby  the  films  can  be  obtained  at  cost  by 
the  extension  departments  of  state  agricultural  col- 
leges and  distributed  by  them  through  their  respec- 
tive states,  the  Department  of  Agriculture  at  Wash- 
ington  acting  as   source  of  supply   and   medium   of 
exchange  of  reels  between  states. 


288    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

EXHIBIT  XVI I 

AN  EXERCISE  FOR  ADVANCED  SOCIAL 

STUDENTS. 


A  Questionnaire  on  Juvenile  Standard  for 
Motion  Pictures. 

Kindly  give  your  careful  consideration  to  each 
of  the  questions  and  prepare  a  written  intelligent 
answer.  They  will  form  a  basis  for  the  selection  of 
picture  for  children  under  17. 

It  is  understood  that  the  emphasis  in  the  se- 
lection of  pictures  for  children,  both  those  under 
12  and  those  between  12  and  17  shall  be  placed  on 
those  themes  and  situations  which  are  positive, 
helpful,  constructive  and  inspiring.  There  is  little 
need  of  statements  of  fundamental  positions  upon 
scenic,  biographical,  scientific,  nature  and  indus- 
trial films.  In  the  selection  of  amusing,  dramatic  and 
thrilling  pictures,  it  is  necessary  that  well-defined, 
sympathetic  and  comprehensive  statements  shall 
be  formulated. 

It  is  to  be  recognized  that  judgments  will  vary 
on  individual  pictures.  This  is  inevitable  because, 
for  instance,  of  the  swiftness  of  punishment,  the 
repulsive  nature  of  certain  characters,  the  contrast 
presented,  the  lessons  taught  or  the  historic  char- 
acter of  the   acts,   or  persons  involved. 

It  is  important  to  distinguish,  carefully,  be- 
tween pictures  shown  to  children  under  12  and  boys 
and  girls  between  12  and  17.  The  mental  outlook 
changes  decidedly  during  the  adolescent  period. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  289 

None  of  these  questions  can  be  answered  with- 
out consideration  of  possible  exceptions.  They 
have  many  individual  qualifications  which  may 
modify  decisions. 

1.  Are  young  people  from  12  to  17  accustomed  to 
re-picture  in  their  minds  details  secondary  to 
the  main  story  presented  in  the  film? 

2.  Is  it  necessary  that  the  moral  be  pointed,  that 
evil  be  punished  and  good  rewarded  in  dra- 
matic pictures? 

3.  Please  express  your  judgment  of  the  value  of 
pictures  showing  children  doing  wrong  and 
subsequently  being  punished  as  a  means  of 
impressing  a  lesson.  Do  they  learn  the  lesson 
or  just  remember  the  exciting  adventures? 

4.  What  position  should  be  taken  about  the  man- 
ifestations of  love  and  love-making  in  its  var- 
ious forms  before  and  after  marriage? 

5.  Are  there  times  when  the  causes  and  effects 
of  unwise,  indiscreet  and  over-trustful  love- 
making  snould  be  shown? 

6.  Are  you  committed  to  the  policy  of  judging 
pictures  for  young  people  and  children  as  a 
whole  or  in  detail? 

7.  Can  any  rule  be  laid  down  refusing  approval 
of  pictures  which  play  upon  the  weakness  of 
any  class  or  race? 

8.  Shall  triangular  and  intricate  problems  of  mar- 
ried life  be  shown  under  any  conditions? 

9.  Shall  crime  and  sex  scenes  which  arouse  un- 
wholesome  curiosity  and  stir  the  imagination 


290    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

be  shown,  be  entirely  eliminated  or  cut  at  the 
beginning  of  the  questionable  action? 

10.  Should  Juvenile  actors  be  encouraged  to  take 
adult  parts? 

11.  Shall  pictures  be  shown  which  make  light  of 
family  ties,  belittling  the  sanctity  of  marriage, 
presenting  the  humorous  or  serious  deceptions 
of  husband  and  wife? 

12.  What  do  you  think  of  the  use  of  action  in  mo- 
tion pictures  to  arouse  unthinking  fear  as  a 
motive  to  check  evil? 

13.  What  is  your  opinion  about  scenes  and  pic- 
tures dealing  with  the  underworld,  its  inhabi- 
tants, resorts  and  life? 

14.  Are  you  satisfied  that  clean  pictures  depicting 
action  such  as  adventure,  excitement,  thrill, 
the  work  of  detectives,  cowboys,  Indians,  etc., 
should    be    shown  ? 

15.  Have  you  any  opinion  about  the  portrayal  of 
insane  and  feeble-minded  persons? 

16.  What  is  your  feeling  about  the  presentation 
of  scenes  in  which  persons  appear  partially 
clothed,  in  tights,  bathing  suits,  etc.? 

17.  Is  it  possible  to  lay  down  any  absolute  rules 
about  the  use  of  weapons  by  the  individual 
for  defense  or  offence?  Please  try  to  formu- 
late a  statement. 


AMUSEMENT  IN  TOLEDO,  OHIO  291 

EXHIBIT  XVIII. 
SOCIAL  HYGIENE  LEGISLATION 

(1917) 

Forty-Four  During  the  year,  forty-four  legisla- 

Legislatures  tures  passed  social  hygiene  meas- 
ures, and  nearly  three  hundred  bills 
(an  average  of  seven  per  state)  were  introduced, 
of  which  over  one  hundred  and  sixty  (or  an  aver- 
age of  about  four  per  state)  were  enacted  into  law. 
Wisconsin  led  by  introducing  thirty-six  bills,  and 
New  York  came  second  with  seventeen,  but  out  of 
the  seventeen  submitted,  the  latter  state  passed 
only  three.  Wisconsin,  however,  passed  fourteen. 
North  Carolina  and  Oregon  each  passed  ten  out  of 
twelve    respectively. 

Thirty-eight  measures  were  introduced  relating 
to  commercialized  vice.  Thirty-one  bills  against 
sex  offenses  were  also  introduced.  Thirty-six*  bills 
referring  to  amusements,  pictures,  literature  and 
recreation  were  presented..  Of  these,  eleven  were 
for  the  purpose  of  regulating  AMUSEMENT 
PLACES  and  DANCE  HALLS,  and  for  the  es 
tablishment  of  community  and  recreation  centei 
and  fifteenb  prohibited  IMMORAL  and  INDE- 
CENT SHOWS.  MOTION  PICTURES  and  OB- 
SCENE LITERATURE. 

Sixty-six  bills  were  also  presented  for  the  con- 
trol and  spread  of  venereal  disease.  It  is  signifi- 
cant that  modern  legislation  is  characterized  bv  the 


292    MOTION  PICTURES  AS  COMMERCIALIZED 

principle  of  PREVENTION,  rather  than  RE- 
PRESSION AND  SEGREGATION,  the  original 
emphasis. 

*For  a  detailed  account  of  this  legislation,  see  Social 
Hygiene  Magazine,  January,  1919, 

b — Of  these  fifteen  bills,  seven  were  passed,  and  in 
the  following  states:  Florida  (1),  Illinois  (1),  Kansas 
(1),  Minnesota  (2),  Oregon  (1),  Vermont  (1). 


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